Thermal parameters evaluation of a fractional-slot concentrated winding machine for home appliance applications

Abstract

Efficiency and reliability of electrical machines are considerably affected by their thermal performance, therefore, thermal simulation models have been developed to support the thermal design of electrical machines. However, the adoption of reasonable values to represent the input thermal parameters required in such simulations is as important as the modeling strategy itself. This paper deals with the determination of thermal parameters concerning a Fractional-Slot Concentrated Winding “FSCW” electrical machine properly designed for home appliance applications. Equivalent thermal resistance and capacitance of the winding insulation system composed by winding, impregnation, and coil support are evaluated. In addition, the equivalent thermal conductivity value has been assessed using a novel approach suitable for FSCW machines. A critical analysis of the obtained results has been conducted and it has shown that the equivalent thermal conductivity of the FSCW machine is up to two times higher than the values obtainable for conventional distributed winding machines.