Harmonic Electromagnetic Forces in Induction Motors

Abstract

Recently, there has been increasing demand for quiet motors, and the same trend has been observed in the case of induction motors. In induction motors, electromagnetic noise is sometimes the predominant acoustic noise. In small motors, the major cause of vibration and noise is electromagnetic forces resulting from the combination of harmonic fluxes in the air gap. In this study, the spatial distribution of fundamental and harmonic time electromagnetic forces was studied by using search coils, by performing FEM analysis, and by using conventional equations. In a four-pole 2.2kW motor, harmonic electromagnetic forces were measured using 36 search coils on the inner surface of the stator teeth, and the spatial distribution of electromagnetic forces was obtained at each time harmonic frequency. Spatial distribution was also analyzed by FEM, and the results were analytically validated by using conventional equations. On the basis of these analyses, the spatial distribution of electromagnetic forces for various time harmonics was confirmed. These results can be used in the design and development of quiet motors.