Recent studies show that synchronous reluctance motors (SynRMs) present promising technologies. As a result, research on trending SynRMs drive systems has expanded. This work disseminates the recent developments of design, modeling, and more specifically, control of these motors. Firstly, a brief study of the dominant motor technologies compared to SynRMs is carried out. Secondly, the most prominent motor control methods are studied and classified, which can come in handy for researchers and industries to opt for a proper control method for motor drive systems. Finally, the control strategies for different speed regions of SynRM are studied and the transitions between trajectories are analyzed.

In recent decades, the genetic algorithm (GA) has been extensively used in the design optimization of electromagnetic devices. Despite the great merits possessed by the GA, its processing procedure is highly time-consuming. On the contrary, the widely applied Taguchi optimization method is faster with comparable effectiveness in certain optimization problems. This study explores the abilities of both methods within the optimization of a permanent magnet coupling, where the optimization objectives are the minimization of coupling volume and maximization of transmitted torque. The optimal geometry of the coupling and the obtained characteristics achieved by both methods are nearly identical. The magnetic torque density is enhanced by more than 20%, while the volume is reduced by 17%. Yet, the Taguchi method is found to be more time-efficient and effective within the considered optimization problem. Thanks to the additive manufacturing techniques, the initial design and the sophisticated geometry of the Taguchi optimal designs are precisely fabricated. The performances of the coupling designs are validated using an experimental setup.

This paper proposes a modified dynamic equivalent circuit model for a linear induction motor considering both longitudinal end effect and transverse edge effect. The dynamic end effect (speed-dependent end effect) is based on conventional Duncan’s approach. The transverse edge effect is investigated by using three correction factors applied to the secondary resistance and magnetizing inductance. Moreover, the iron saturation effect, the skin effect, and the air-gap leakage effect are incorporated into the proposed model by using the field-analysis method. A new topology of the steady-state and space-vector model of linear induction, regarding all mentioned phenomena, is presented. The parameters of this model are calculated using both field analysis and the finite-element method. The steady-state performance of the model is first validated using the finite-element method. Additionally, the dynamic performance of the proposed model is studied. The results prove that the proposed equivalent circuit model can precisely predict the dynamic and steady-state performances of the linear induction.

The main issue of the switched reluctance motor (SRM) is its noise and vibration caused by high torque ripples on the rotor’s shaft. Many methods have been developed for improving the torque characteristic of the SRM. For example, design optimization is one of the promising approaches to the noise and vibration reduction of the SRM. Particularly, topology optimization (TO) of the stator and rotor can be highly beneficial to addressing the torque ripple issue. However, the TO of the SRM appears to be computationally demanding. To overcome this issue, this study proposes a method aiming to reduce the computational complexity of the TO through the reduction of the design space. Particularly, this paper presents a sensitivity analysis of a list of unique design parameters of the SRM and their influence on the average torque of the motor and the torque ripple of the motor. By applying the sensitivity analysis, the design space of the TO could be reduced, leading to a considerable decrease in the TO computational burden. Additionally, valuable conclusions on the geometrical parameters’ influences on the SRM torque and torque ripple have been drawn.

Motor-drive systems have the most significant share in industrial energy consumption, which requires a deep study in every aspect of the field. This paper presents a synchronous reluctance motor (SynRM) drive system based on Plecs RT box 1. The system’s design provides the opportunity for the open-loop and closed-loop control of the motor and a characteristic performance analysis of the motor. This paper focuses on the hardware implementation of a research laboratory setup and the precise vector control of the SynRM in real-time. The application of the digital controller and inverter to drive SynRM is examined. The voltage, current, and speed transducers were employed for monitoring the protective measures and to control the motor in the closed-loop. The design of the signal conditioning and the intermediary cards for isolation and data acquisition are described in detail. An algorithm is proposed to measure the whole system parameters, including motor, inverter, and cables. Thanks to the RT box 1, the principle of real-time simulation of control algorithms is investigated, and the rapid control prototyping of field-oriented control (FOC) of SynRM was implemented. The simulation of the system was carried out in the Plecs platform, and the results are presented. The experimental results of the implemented control algorithms validate the setup’s performance and the control algorithm. Finally, as a study of the motor’s performance, the efficiency map of the motor is drawn in different speed and torque ranges.

The permanent magnet flux-switching machine (PMFSM) is one of the most promising machines with magnets inserted into the stator. To determine in which applications the use of PMFSM is promising, it is essential to compare the PMFSM with machines of other types. This study provides a theoretical comparison of the PMFSM with a conventional interior permanent magnet synchronous machine (IPMSM) in the gearless generator of a low-power wind turbine (332 rpm, 51.4 Nm). To provide a fair comparison, both machines are optimized using the Nelder–Mead algorithm. The minimized optimization objectives are the required power of frequency converter, cost of active materials, torque ripple and losses of a generator averaged over the working profile of the wind turbine. In order to reduce the computational time, the substituting profile method is applied. Based on the results of the calculations, the advantages and disadvantages of the considered machines were revealed: the IPMSM has significantly lower losses and higher efficiency than the PMFSM, and the PMFSM requires much less rare-earth magnets and copper and is, therefore, cheaper in mass production.