Noise emissions on switched reluctance motors: evaluation of different structural models

The mass production of electric vehicles can pressure some specific natural resources that are needed for the production of the motors utilized in such vehicles. In those lines an alternative to the use of rare-earth magnets in the propulsion system is to substitute permanent-magnet synchronous machines (PMSM) by switched reluctance motors (SRM). One of the main drawbacks of SRMs is the torque ripple and consequently the noise and vibration that it can cause in the driveline. The further development of this motor technology needs to properly understand and address the mechanical vibrations caused by the magnetic forces in the stator. The goal of this paper is to investigate the effects of increased complexity of structural modelling in capturing the physical phenomena that governs this system. By comparing the modal parameters of structures modelled by 2D analytical techniques, finite elements (FE) with isotropic material and FE with orthotropic properties, it is possible to discuss the limitations and applicability of each technique.