Analytical determination of the turn-to-turn capacitances for the prediction of voltage peaks in a PWM-fed motor winding

Abstract

The number of inverter-fed motors is increasing due to the good controllability of the motor and the meanwhile low acquisition costs. The steep voltage slopes of the converters lead to an uneven voltage distribution along the winding and thus to voltage peaks between the conductors, which stresses the insulation. The voltage distribution can be predicted by means of equivalent circuit diagrams, which take into account the capacitive coupling between the conductors. This paper presents a novel approach for an analytical determination of the turn-to-turn capacitances, which, in addition to the geometry and the placement of the conductors, considers the influence of materials with different permittivities.The conductors are simulated by means of line charges discretely placed inside the electrodes and receptor points attached to the conductor surfaces. The capacitances are determined by means of the Maxwell capacitance matrix. The method is validated by means of FEM simulations for different geometries and materials.