Design optimization of a synchronous reluctance motor based on operating cycle

Synchronous reluctance motors are becoming an interesting solution for drives applications requiring high efficiency. The design of those machines is normally based on the optimization of the motor performance at the rated working point in terms of torque production, torque ripple and efficiency, but in many applications the drive will operate for most of the time at partial load and frequent overload may be required, with a speed not necessarily equal to the rated value. In this work we propose an optimized machine design method to maximize the drive efficiency on the total operating cycle, considering a specific speed and torque profile. Four typical working points are selected, each of them maintained by the machine for a different time in the operating cycle. The obtained machine is compared with the one optimized based on the rated conditions only, showing slightly higher losses on a single working point but an improved efficiency on the global operating cycle.