SPEEDAM 2010

International Symposium on Power Electronics,

Electrical Drives, Automation and Motion

Brushless dc Generator without

Permanent Magnet
H. Moradi, M. Seyed Yazdi and E. Afjei
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University G.C., Tehran –Iran
H_Moradi@sbu.ac.ir

Abstract- This paper presents characteristic analysis of a
without permanent magnet Brushless dc (WPMBLDC)
generator. Proposed configuration is a 9/6 BLDC generator in
which permanent magnet is replaced with assisted field coil in
the rotor. Due to dc current in the assistant field winding, the
magnetic field flows axially through the rotor shaft and closes
through the stator teeth and the motor housing. Finite
Element (FE) analysis has been carried out to confirm the
accuracy of the predicted flux-linkage characteristics, which
play a key role in the design process. A prototype WPMBLDC
machine has been also built and tested; additionally the
accuracy of FE analysis is verified by comparing the
calculated results with the experimental measured values.
prediction and evaluation of machine performance.
Numerical analysis methods such as FE technique gives
precise information of the machine parameters such as,
magnetic flux density, inductances and electromagnetic
torques based on magnetic field calculation using machine
geometry, dimensions, and materials. In this study 3-D FE
analysis has been carried out to confirm the accuracy of the
predicted magnetization characteristics, which play a key role in
the design process.

Index Terms-Brushless DC generator, Assisted Field, FEM

I. INTRODUCTION
The brushless dc generator (BLDC) is one of the
challenges for simple construction, high reliability and high
power density in variable speed drive applications such as
automotive, Aerospace, home appliances, and many
industrial equipments and instrumentations [1]. Fig.1 - 3-D view of the BLDC generator
In the conventional BLDC generator, excitation is provided
by permanent magnets mounted on a rotor which this II. NOVEL STRUCTURE OF BLDC GENERATOR
structure has some inherent disadvantages. In conventional Structure and 3-D view of the proposed three phases
BLDC generator Permanent magnets are expensive parts in WPMBLDC generator are shown in Fig. 1. The proposed
the machine and result in an increased motor cost. Also the configuration is a three phase generator which the stator
surface-mounted permanent magnet generators cannot and rotor are constructed with two dependent magnetically
reach high speeds because of the limited mechanical sets. Each stator set has nine teeth with phase winding
strength of the assembly between the rotor yoke and the coils. One possible layout for the windings is shown in Fig.
permanent magnets. Another major problem of 2. Also, each rotor set has six teeth (Every stator and
conventional BLDC generators is demagnetization of the rotor pole arcs are 30º). In this geometry, an assisted field
permanent magnet (Magnets can be demagnetized by large
replaced with permanent magnet in the rotor, the field
opposing magneto-motive-force (MMF) and high
winding carries dc current and is permanently energized.
temperatures). These problems have been addressed by
The dc current in the field winding gives axial flux along
many researchers [1-6].
the length of the rotor; this means that, at one end flux is
This paper presents characteristic analysis of a new
leaving the rotor while at the other it is entering.
configuration for BLDC generator, which does not use a
Consequently, making the rotor magnetically polarized at
permanent magnet in the rotor. Complex geometry and
its ends. As mentioned before, each stator set comprises
nonlinear properties of the proposed Salient-Pole structure
nine teeth, and there are concentrated windings placed
is the main reason for calculation and analysis of the flux
around each salient pole. This is a three phase salient pole
distribution inside the machine for different excitation
machine, therefore, three coil windings from one layer is
currents and rotor positions. So, an accurate knowledge of
connected in series with the other three coil windings in the
the magnetization characteristics is essential for the
other layer.

978-1-4244-4987-3/10/$25.00 ©2010 IEEE

278
 variational energy minimization technique to determine the
magnetic vector potential (Infolytica Corporation Ltd.,
2007). It should be mentioned that, this package utilizes
Ȯ െ π method which is described before. This method
considers the geometry of the motor to solve the magnetic
field distribution in and around the machine. Flux
distributions of the presented machine by utilizing 3-D FE
analysis are shown in Fig. 3 (aligned position) and Fig. 4
(unaligned position), when the field windings are
considered to be turned on for a magnitude of ୤ ൌ ͲǤͷA.
Fig. 2- One possible layout for the windings.

III. NUMERICAL ANALYSIS

Due to complex structure and inherent nonlinear properties
of the magnetic materials for the presented novel BLDC
machine, using of the numerical techniques such as FEM
for the calculation of the magnetic field is suggested. It
should be mentioned that, FE technique gives precise
information of the machine parameters such as magnetic
flux density, inductances and electromagnetic torques based
on magnetic field calculation using machine geometry
dimensions and materials. FEM is capable to consider the
magnetic field saturation effect based on machine
performance. Our goal is to obtain the approximate
potential distribution. This is done by the finite element
analysis based on variational method. The partial
differential equation for the magnetic vector potential is Fig. 3- unaligned position for ୤ ൌ ͲǤͷ.
[9]:
μ μ μ μ μ μ
൬ɀ ൰ ൅ ൬ɀ ൰ ൅ ൬ɀ ൰ ൌ െŒሺͳሻ
μš μš μ› μ› μœ μœ
where is the current density value in the element under
consideration (in Ȁଶ ),  is magnetic vector potential (in
„Ȁ). In the variational method (Ritz) the solution tool is
obtained by minimizing the following function [9-10]:
ͳ 
μ ଶ μ ଶ μ ଶ
ሺሻ ൌ ම ቆɀ ൬ ൰ ൅ ɀ ൬ ൰ ൅ ɀ ൬ ൰ ቇ †π‡ƴ
ʹ πୣƴ μš μ› μœ

െ ම  †π‡ƴ ሺʹሻ
πୣƴ
where π is the problem region of integration.
One of the common methods for solving magnetic field
problems is known as Ȯ െ π formulation, that utilizes
electric vector potential Ȯ , and magnetic scalar potential π, Fig. 4- aligned position for ୤ ൌ ͲǤͷ.
where Ȯ and π are defined by Œ ൌ ‫ ׏‬ൈ  and  ൌ  െ ‫׏‬π.
In the Ȯ െ π method, Gauss’ law for magnetic field, Fig. 5 show front view of distributed flux for field current
‫ ׏‬൉  ൌ Ͳ can be changed into ‫׏‬Ǥ Ȯ െ ‫׏‬Ǥ ሺ‫׏‬πሻ ൌ Ͳ . ୤ ൌ ͲǤͷ.
Finally the following two scalar equations are obtained [13,
14]:
μ μπ
‫׏‬ଶ  െ ρɐ ൬ ൰ ൌ െρɐ‫ ׏‬൬ ൰ሺ͵ሻ
ቐ μ– μ–
‫׏‬ଶ π ൌ ͲሺͶሻ
A three dimensional finite element analysis is being used to
determine the magnetic field distribution in and around the
motor. The field analysis has been performed using a
Magnet CAD package [10], which is based on the
Fig. 5- front view of distributed flux for field current ୤ ൌ ͲǤͷ.

279
In this study, the machine geometry has beeen analyzed, for
different rotor angular position Ʌ. This iis defined as the
angle between a certain pole stator (whhich is taken as
reference) and one of the rotor poles. The aangular positions
considered between 0º and 60º in 1.5º increement steps. This
covers the unaligned and aligned sequennce between the
machine poles. Fig. 6 show flux linkage for phase A and
mutual flux for phases B,C in which field ccurrent is 0.75 A.

(a)

Fig. 6- flux linkage for phase A and mutual flux for phases B, C

IV. EXPERIMENTAL RES

SULTS
The generator has been fabricated and tested for
performance and functionality in the labboratory. Fig. 7
illustrates the fabricated machine. Thee shaft of the
generator is connected to a motor to act ass a prime mover. (b)
Output voltage (Vp-p) of generator are m measured for No- Fig. 8- Output voltage from phasses of the generator
Load and under-Load mode by different speed from 150 (a) Field current equal 0. 75 A , Speed 150
00 rpm and (b) Field current
rpm up to 2250 rpm for field currents equaal by 0.75 A. The equal 0.75 A , Speed 400
4 rpm.
load in this test is a resistive (RLoad=27 ohm
m). Results of this Table 1 -Output voltage for diffferent speed from
measurement are shown in Table 1. Speed I Field= 0.75 A
Fig. 8 show output actual voltage from phhases winding of (R.P.M)
generator for two different speed 1500 rppm and 400 rpm No Load R Load =27 ohm
when field current is 0.75 A (No-load modee). Out Put Out Put
Voltage(v) Voltage(v)
150 2.02 1.22
300 4.41 2.01
450 7.13 4.72
600 8.98 7.13
750 10.10 8.52
900 12.25 11.55
1050 14.10 13.82
1200 16.15 15.22
1350 18.25 17.02
1500 19.21 18.30
1650 21.12 20.19
1800 24.33 23.35
1950 25.84 24.42
2100 26.16 25.14
2250 27.21 26.50

Fig.7- Proposed BLDC machine fabricated inn the laboratory

Since the suggested configuratiion is to some extent
similar to the Switched Relucctance (SR) machine,

280
quantitative comparisons between the proposed
machine and the SR family can be explained as
follow:
1. Regarding the number of rotor poles for SR
machine, when the poles of one phase come into
full alignment, the poles of another phase are just
starting to overlap Even though , for the suggested
configuration, when one phase come into full
alignment, 10° overlap for the poles of another
phase is occurred.
2. Typical three-phase SR machine combinations for
stator and rotor poles are 6/4, 8/6, 12/8, 18/12, etc.
structures [15]. Although for the proposed
structure, the numbers of stator and rotor poles are
9/6.
3. Due to proposed structure, two phases can be
excited simultaneously. It provides higher power
density in comparison with similar SR machine in
which only one phase can be excited.
V. CONCLUSION
In this paper three-dimensional magnetic analysis of a
without permanent magnet brushless dc generator
utilized 3-D FE analysis is investigated. Proposed
configuration is a 9/6 BLDC generator in which
permanent magnet is replaced with assisted field coil
in the rotor. The proposed machine fabricated and
tested in laboratory. The experimental analysis shows
the functionality of the generator in its new
configuration, i.e. it has the ability and the potential of
being used in hybrid vehicle or as a generator unit for
wind turbine. Also, the generator output voltage can
be simply kept constant under different speeds
contrary to PM brushless dc motors since; the field
current is easily controllable.
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