A Method of Determining the Equivalent Core Length of the Large Synchronous Motor With Radial Air Ducts

Abstract

A method of getting the more accurate equivalent core length through 3-D electromagnetic finite element method (FEM) (3-D FEM) is presented in this paper. It is a matter of course that 2-D FEM is mostly used to evaluate the rotating machine performance instead of 3-D FEM. It takes 106 times longer to complete 3-D FEM than to complete 2-D FEM according to the simulation data in this paper. The motor has the radial air-cooling ducts in the stator. The use of radial air-cooling ducts has an effect on the electrical performance of its machine due to the fringing effect between ducts. The way to consider that effect is that the actual core length has to be replaced with the equivalent core length to reflect the magnetic circuit of 2-D perspective. However, there is 12% error of the root mean square no-load voltage between 2-D and 3-D FEM in 16 MVA salient pole synchronous motor. The cause of the error is the miscalculated equivalent core length in 2-D FEM. The purpose of this paper is to study the cause of the error through 3-D FEM to get the more accurate equivalent core length in 2-D FEM. Finally, Generator open circuit characteristic test is also carried out to verify the no-load voltage of 2-D and 3-D FEM.