Cross-Saturation in Smooth-Air-Gap Electrical Machines

A detailed analysis of the phenomenon of cross-saturation is presented and it is shown that in a smooth-air-gap quadrature-phase machine this phenomenon is similar to the phenomenon of the demagnetizing effect of cross-magnetizing armature reaction in a d.c. machine. In a quadrature-phase smooth-air-gap machine the resultant air-gap flux density distribution is decreased over one half of the pole-pitch and is increased under the other half of the pole-pitch and due to saturation the decrease is greater than the increase. Thus under saturated conditions, if the resultant m.m.f. distribution is displaced from the magnetic axes of the windings, a change in the quadrature-axis magnetizing current will cause a change of flux linkage in the direct-axis winding and vice versa, a change in the direct-axis magnetizing current will cause a change of flux linkage in the quadrature-axis winding. It is an important result that cross-saturation can also exist if the m.m.f. distributions are assumed to be sinusoidal. A physical derivation of the cross-saturation coupling factor is presented and a test is described which shows the existence of cross-saturation. A theoretical analysis of the experiment gives results which are in good agreement with the experimental results.