Comparison of the Measured and Simulated Potential Distributions in an Inverter-Fed Hairpin Stator Winding

Due to the increased voltage stress on the winding of an electrical machine during inverter operation, it is necessary to take this additional stress into account in the design of the insulation system. In this paper, a comparison of the measured and the simulated potential distributions in an inverter-fed hair-pin stator winding is presented. The method used to predict the potential distributions within a winding enables to identify spots with high potential differences. This information of the maximum potential differences can then be used to design the insulation system of the electrical machine. Using the measurement of the potential distribution of a sample stator specimen with a hairpin winding, the predictive method is validated. With the help of the validation, it is also possible to demonstrate the accuracy and the limitations of the prediction method.