Control Technique for Switched Reluctance Machine in Electric Vehicle Applications

The machines play a crucial role in the world of electric vehicles. In this regard, along with the popular motors, Switched Reluctance Machine (SRM) has recently received a lot of attention in the recent times. Researchers prefer to work on SRM because of its simple construction, double saliency and high torque to inertia ratio. Due to its many advantages, it competes fiercely with other machines in the market. However, the few known drawbacks of SRM like its torque ripple and acoustic noise can be overcome with effective controlling techniques. This work addresses high-speed SRM control, popularly known as angle control method. By selecting appropriate turn-on and turn-off angles for the power converter, the efficiency of control can be increased. The 8/6 configuration of SRM is tested with various angle combinations and results are shown in this paper. Thus, by obtaining appropriate angles, the peak overshoot of the speed is reduced and an SRM with higher efficiency is proposed for an Electric Vehicle.

I. Introduction

Due to its structure, construction, high speed operation, high fault tolerance capabilities, and high efficiency, the Switched Reluctance Machine (SRM) is now getting more recognition in the industry. SRM has significant advantages over induction motor, permanent magnet motor, or synchronous motor due to its lower cost and higher efficiency. Additionally, the rotor has no permanent magnet or winding, making it simple to operate. Due to many advantages, SRM becomes a major competitor for EV applications. However, the available speed control strategies are quite complex and require improvement for their simple implementation. Therefore, an efficient speed control can add a substantial value to the usage of this machine for electric vehicles. This work proposes a simple technique to improve high speed control so that SRM can be used significantly in the EV domain.