ELECTROMAGNETIC DESIGN AND FEM ANALYSIS OF A NOVEL DUAL-AIR-GAP RELUCTANCE MACHINE

The electro-magnetic torque production in the reluctance machine is highly in∞uenced by the magnetic linkages in the air-gap area. The conventional machines derive the drawback of reduction in the air-gap area to a minimal due to in∞uence of mechanical unbalancing thereby restricting the efiective energy conversion area. In order to increase the magnetic linkage area, the dual-air-gap structure is introduced. The dual-air-gap structure is realised through the division of the magnetic circuit area into two air-gaps while still maintaining the net air-gap length value. A double-rotor with single- stator structure is used to attribute the above concept. The electro- magnetic analysis of such a structure is developed and investigated through numerical analysis. In order to validate the proposed structure the electro-magnetic characteristics are compared with that of the conventional structure at similar operating conditions. The maximum torque generated by the selected dual-air-gap structure is 1.7549Nm and for conventional structure is 1.2723Nm. The evaluation of the proposed machine is done at the same operating conditions and it is found that the dual-air-gap structure exhibit 65% increase in average torque value in comparison with that of the conventional single-air-gap structure.