EVS28

KINTEX, Korea, May 3-6, 2015

Rotating Transformer for a Wound

Rotor Synchronous Motor

Jiyoung Lee1,2, Jongmoo Kim1, and Byoungchul Woo1

1Korea

Electrotechnology Research Institute, Changwon, Korea

2University of Science & Technology, Korea
jylee@keri.re.kr

Introduction

This paper presents a design of a rotary transformer to be used

instead of brushes and slip-rings in 7.5kW-grade wound rotor
synchronous motor for a propulsion system of electric vehicles.
The basic components of the rotary transformer are pot cores and
adjacent windings, which are classified into two parts- primary
and secondary as the principles of general transformers. And high
frequency is used to reduce the overall volume.

Introduction
There are five major design variables, which are (1) source
frequency, (2) number of turns in primary winding, (3) inner
diameter of winding window, (4) outer diameter of core, and (5)
height of core. The design variables are optimized by Response
Surface Methodology to efficiently transmit the required power.
Factor experiments for the optimum design are performed by 2dimensional axi-symmetry finite element analysis (FEA). In the
analysis model for the FEA, the magnetic field is connected to
external circuits. The primary circuit is external power source,
and the secondary circuit is linked to field winding in the wound
rotor synchronous motor.
The designed rotary transformer is fabricated, and the
characteristic are shown by both analytically and experimentally.
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Rotary Transformer for Exciter

Rotary Transformer
for Exciter in Induction machine

Cutaway of a doubly-fed induction generator with a rotary

transformer [1][2]

Laboratory scheme for load tests [2]

[1] M.Ruviaro, F.Runcos, N.Sadowski, I.M.Borges, Analysis and test results of a brushless doubly fed Induction machine
with rotary transformer, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics 59(6), 2670-2677, 2012
[2] http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S2179-10742013000200013&script=sci_arttext#f1
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Rotary Transformer for Exciter

Rotary Transformer
for Exciter in Synchronous machine
Synchronous
Machine

Rectifier

Induction
Machine

Rotor : AC field
3ph-Rotary transformer

Rotor : DC field
1~3ph-Rotary transformer

Rotary transformer Configurations

Axial (left) and Pot core (right)

rotating transformers [3][4]

[3] J.P.C.Smeets, L.Encica, E.A.Lomonova,

Comparison of winding topologies in a pot core
rotating transformer, IEEE Xplore, 2010
[4] J.Legranger, G.Friedrich, S.Vivier, J.C.Mipo,
Comparison of two optimal rotary transformer deisgns
for highly constrained applications, IEEE Xplore,
2007

Winding topologies for the pot core

rotating transformer, adjacent (left) and
coaxial (right) [3]

Conceptual
configuration
of objective
model

Design Specifications
Contents

Values

Primary voltage

106.1 Vrms

Primary frequency

20~50 kHz

Secondary required voltage

66.6 Vrms

Secondary required current

3.0 Arms

Secondary power

200 W

Max rotating speed

10,000rpm

Diameter of axis

34 mm

Diameter of outmost housing

144 mm

Max axial length

78 mm

Air-gap length

1mm or less

Core material

Mn-Zn soft ferrite

Cooling

Natural cooling

Primary circuit :
Phase-shift DC-DC
converter

Secondary circuit :
Full bridge rectifier

Analysis Model and Design Variables

Axi-symmetric model for magnetic field analysis
Axis of Symmetry

Secondary coil
Primary coil
Secondary core
Primary core
Design variables
(1) Cx2 (2) Cx4
(3) Ch (=Ch1=Ch2)
(4) Np (No. of turns in primary)
(5) Freq (Primary frequency)
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Analysis Model and Design Variables

External circuit
Independent variable 3
Independent variable 2

Objective power:
200~300W

Independent variable 1

Response Surface Methodology

43 DOE samples
for 5 design variables
(DOE: design of experiment)

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Response Surface Methodology

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Response Surface Methodology

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Design Results
[Unit: mm]

First RSM results

[Variables]
Freq=27.5 kHz
Np = 40 turns ( Ns=26 turns)
Cx1=17, Cx2=20.5, Cx4=39, Ch=6.5 (mm)

39
37
20.5
17
3.2

6.5
6.5

Axis of Symmetry

air-gap = 0.5mm
(Fill factor : 60% or less)

[Characteristics]
CD1(current density of primary) =3.3 A/mm2
Crms1(current of primary) =2.8A
Pin(power of primary) =231.7W
Pload(power of secondary) =220.9W
Eff_sys(system efficiency) =95.3%
Eff_mag(magnetic circuit efficiency) =98.5%

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Design Results
[Unit: mm]
Second RSM results

42.5
21
17
16

Axis of Symmetry

10.5

Core outer diameter

85mm

Core inner diameter

34mm

Housing inner diameter

32mm

Primary core height

10.5mm

Secondary core height

9mm

Air-gap

0.5mm

Core thickness

4mm

No. of turn in primary

28 turn

No. of turn in secondary

18 turn

Diameter of conductor

1.4 mm

Fill factor

40%

Primary frequency

30kHz

Power of sencondary

226 W

Efficiency

95.2 %

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Magnetic Characteristics

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Fabrications
(Primary & Secondary
Ferrite core)

(Core + Coil)

(Core + Coil + Housing)

(Primary & Secondary coils)

(Core + Coil + Housing
Epoxy molding)

(Rotary transformer + Power converter)

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Experiments

Secondary power
: 300W_max

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