Multiphase machine drives

Abstract

Variable-speed AC drives are nowadays based on three-phase electrical machines fed by power electronic converters acting as power interface between the electrical machine and AC or DC power sources. Nevertheless, in the last two decades the multiphase electrical drives have become an interesting alternative for particular applications. However, the application of multiphase drives is still limited, mainly due to their complexity and control that somehow make them more difficult to handle with respect to the conventional three-phase counterparts. Therefore, this work intends to be a useful tool to disseminate the fundamental concepts of multiphase drives to students and application engineers.