ANALYSIS AND SIMULATION OF A HIGH-SPEED 2-PHASE AC DRIVE FOR AEROSPACE APPLICATIONS

The majority of aerospace high-speed AC drives are high energy density electric motors that employ small diameter and long axial length. The se motors are supplied from a three-phase, 400 Hz aircraft supply. The ir construction is either a two-pole or a four-pole design using a thr ee-phase stator winding. The paper suggests an alternative drive based on a novel form of two-phase inverter-fed induction motor with magnet ic bearings providing the rotor support. The paper develops theoretica l equations which model the performance of the two-phase drive and ill ustrates how the performance can be simulated using numerical methods. A comparison of simulated and experimental results is presented which demonstrates excellent correlation. The benefits of using the two-pha se drive for aerospace high-speed applications are discussed and the a dded advantages of using magnetic bearings are also presented. Since e lectromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is an important requirement for aer ospace drives the results achieved for the two-phase drive substantiat e its suitability in this application area.