Acoustic Modeling of Electrical Drives

This thesis presents a universal acoustic modeling process for efficient, high-quality modeling of the electromagnetically-excited acoustic noise of electrical drives. The process integrates well into the drive design process and realistic acoustic modeling of the electromagnetic noise excitation can be routinely performed. The resulting vibrations are displayed and auralized.

The process combines the two fast and user-interactive steps system simulation and vibration synthesis. The underlying model parameters are obtained via automated offline finite-element simulations based on generic input parameters. This allows for using complex electromagnetic and structural models without computation time becoming prohibitive.

The vibration synthesis approach can be applied to all machine types and geometric configurations, including outer-rotor and transversal-flux machines as well as machines with rotor or stator skew. Machine and air-gap force models have been developed and implemented into the system simulation for permanent magnet synchronous machines including spatial harmonics as well as switched reluctance machines. Switching frequencies and spatial machine harmonics are routinely taken into account. Sound radiation or transfers path analyses can be added and analytical or measured models be integrated.

The process is illustrated and verified via several application examples. These are permanent magnet synchronous machines for electric and hybrid electric vehicles and switched reluctance drives for an industrial and a traction application.