Conducting screen utilisation in switched reluctance motors

In this paper, the effect of incorporating nonmagnetic electrical conducting screens in the motor topology of a switched reluctance motor is investigated. It is shown that screens on the rotor increase the motor torque by reducing the effective unaligned AC inductance due to the eddy currents induced in the screens. Screens added to the end laminations on both the rotor and stator stacks are shown to minimise the end flux leakage. Details of experimental and analytical methods used to evaluate the effects of conducting screens are provided and test results on a 500 W motor are included.