Fault analysis of a PM brushless DC motor using finite element method

Three-phase trapezoidal back-EMF permanent magnet (PM) machines are used in many applications where the reliability and fault tolerance are important requirements. Knowledge of the machine transient processes under various fault conditions is the key issue in evaluating the impact of machine fault on the entire electromechanical system. The machine electrical and mechanical quantities whose transient behaviors are of importance under fault conditions include the voltages and currents of the coils and phases, the electromagnetic torque, and the rotor speed. Experimental test based on true machines for such a purpose is impractical for its high cost and difficulty to make. Computer simulation based on the finite element method has shown its effectiveness in fault study in this paper. Before the finite element model was used to perform simulations under fault conditions, it was validated by test data under normal conditions. Three types of fault conditions-single-phase open circuit fault, phase-to-phase terminal short-circuit, and internal turn-to-turn short-circuit have been studied.