Automated radial vibrations reduction for switched reluctance machines

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to suggest a procedure which makes it possible to reduce the radial vibrations of doubly salient switched reluctance motors (SRMs).Design methodology approach - An analytical method for the SRM radial vibration determination is first described. It is then extended to the active vibration reduction. An auxiliary winding equips the stator. The paper explains how the corresponding currents have to be adjusted to achieve a simple and robust control, with a special emphasis about the compatibility of the main and auxiliary supplies and about the reduction control principle. At last, an example of drastic noise reduction is presented.Findings - The proposed method makes possible to define the theoretical vibration spectrum of SRM and thus it gives the major components to be reduced. The feasibility of automating the principle of active reduction is shown. The process of active reduction shows that a vibration component can be diminished by over 90 percent.Research limitations implications - The active reduction is applied for reducing one component of the vibration spectrum. Future developments will focus on the simultaneous reduction of several components of vibration spectrum.Originality value - The method offers an automated process to reduce considerably the component of highest amplitude in the vibration spectrum.