Leakage flux saturation effects on the transient performance of wound-rotor induction motors

The prediction of induction machine performance has traditionally been based on the constant parameter models. This approach was later replaced by considering saturation in the main flux paths. However, such models have not been sufficiently accurate for certain transient conditions such as on-line starting and short-circuit. So, an accurate study of their performance should necessarily consider the magnetic saturation effect both in the main and leakage flux paths. In this paper, an experimental procedure to determine the machine parameters and saturation characteristics is adopted. The adopted experimental procedure facilitates the measurement of both stator and rotor leakage reactance saturation characteristics. Two models of saturated induction motors are developed to predict the transient performance of a laboratory wound-rotor induction motor. The results calculated by the proposed models considering and ignoring the leakage flux saturation are compared with the experimental results. The model that considers saturation in the leakage flux paths produces more accurate transient responses.