Electromagnetic Torque Ripple in Multiple Three-Phase Brushless DC Motors for Electric Vehicles

Abstract

This paper investigated an electromagnetic torque ripple level of BLDC drives with multiple three-phase (TP) permanent magnet (PM) motors for electric vehicles. For this purpose, mathematical models of PM machines of different armature winding sets-single (STP), dual (DTP), triple (TTP), and quadruple (QTP) ones of asymmetrical configuration and optimal angular displacement between winding sets were developed and corresponding computer models in the Matlab/Simulink environment were created. In conducted simulation, the influence of various factors on the electromagnetic torque ripple of the multiple-TP BLDC drives was investigated—degree of modularity, magnetic coupling between armature winding sets, and drive operation in open and closed-loop control systems. Studies have shown an increase of the electromagnetic torque ripple generated by one module in the multiple TP BLDC drives with magnetically coupled winding sets, due to additional current pulsations caused by magnetic interactions between the machine modules. However, the total electromagnetic torque ripples are much lower than in similar drives with magnetically insulated winding sets. Compared with the STP BLDC drive, the multiple TP BLDC drives with the same output parameters showed a reduction of the electromagnetic torque ripple by 27.6% for the DTP, 32.3% for the TTP, and 34.0% for the QTP BLDC drive.