This thesis presents an investigation into advanced squirrel-cage induction machines (IMs), with a particular reference to the reduction of the total axial length without sacrificing the torque and efficiency characteristics and analysis of recently found non-sinusoidal bar current phenomenon, which occurs under some certain design and operating conditions, and affects the overall performance characteristics of the IMs.
As a first step, the most convenient method is determined by utilizing a fractional-slot concentrated winding (FSCW) technique, which has advantages such as non-overlapping windings, high slot filling factor, and simple structure. After implementing this technique, it is found that due to the highly distorted magnetomotive forces (MMFs) created by the FSCWs, significant high rotor bar copper loss occurs. In order to reduce the MMF harmonics without increasing the size of the machine, a new technique titled “adapted non-overlapping winding” is developed. This technique consists of the combination of the auxiliary tooth and phase shifting techniques, resulting in a stator with concentrated windings of two-slot coil pitches but without overlapping the end-windings. Thanks to this method a large number of the MMF harmonics are cancelled. Thus, a low copper loss IM with significantly reduced total axial length is obtained. Influence of design parameters; such as stator slot, rotor slot, and pole numbers, number of turns, stack length, stator and rotor geometric parameters, etc. on the performance characteristics of the advanced IM is investigated and a comprehensive comparison of advanced and conventional IMs is presented.
This thesis also covers an in-depth investigation on the non-sinusoidal bar current phenomenon. It is observed that the rotor bar current waveform, usually presumed to be sinusoidal, becomes non-sinusoidal in some operation and design conditions, such as high speed operation close to synchronous speed, or fairly high electrical loading operation, or in the IMs whose air-gap length is considerably small, etc. Influences of design and operating parameters and magnetic saturation on the rotor bar current waveform and the performance characteristics of squirrel-cage IMs are investigated. The levels of iron saturation, depending on the design and operating parameters, in different machine parts are examined and their influences are also investigated, whilst the dominant part causing the non-sinusoidal rotor bar current waveform is identified. It is revealed that the magnetic saturation, particularly in the rotor tooth, has a significant effect on the bar current waveform
