A new simplified mathematical model for a switched reluctance motor in a variable speed pumping application

A new simplified mathematical model for a switched reluctance motor (SRM) driving a centrifugal pump was developed and experimentally validated. The simplified mathematical model was suitable to simulate the performance of the SRM–pump system and to design its controller. The new simplified model was determined based on the assumption that the SRM phase inductance profiles have triangular waveforms with peak values that depend on the current through the windings when magnetic saturation occurs. A SRM inverter with a single high-side IGBT and a low-side IGBT per phase was designed and constructed for a threephase 6/4 SRM. The speed control strategy consisted of two simultaneous actions: voltage pulse width modulation (PWM) and adjustment of firing angles as a function of the desired motor speed. Simulations of the speed response of the SRM–pump system were performed using the new simplified mathematical model and the results were experimentally validated. It was concluded that the new approach to model and simulate a SRM–pump system provides a practical tool suitable for system simulation and control design. 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. * Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (H. Vasquez). 0957-4158/$ see front matter 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.mechatronics.2004.04.007 1056 H. Vasquez, J.K. Parker / Mechatronics 14 (2004) 1055–1068