Design procedure of IPM motor drive for railway traction

This paper presents a comparative analysis of various interior permanent magnet (IPM) machines and a surface permanent magnet (SPM) machine designed for a commuter train. The different IPM machines are characterized by a different rotor geometry and volume of permanent magnets. The traction requirements fix the maximum machine volume and the back electromotive force at uncontrolled generator operations. The comparison is extended considering the drive performance. Therefore, considering a standard load cycle the different machines and drives are compared in terms of torque capability at reduced voltage, machine average losses and power converter average losses.