Vol. 3, No. 2 | July - December 2020 
 

SJET | ISSN: 2616-7069 | Vol. 3 | No. 2 | © 2020 Sukkur IBA University 

24 

 

Design of Low-Cost Synchronous Reluctance Motor with a 

Surrogate-Assisted Optimization Technique  

Syed Abid Ali Shah Bukhari1*, Imtiaz Ali Leghari1, Junaid Iqbal Bhatti1, 

Saleem Raza1, Mohsin Ali Koondhar1, Irfan Ali Channa2, Muhammad Usman 

Keerio1 

Abstract: 

               This paper presents the performance of centrifugal pump coupled with synchronous 

reluctance motor of 24kW. The 4-pole 36 slots induction motor stator has been used for the 

prototype. The reduction of torque ripple and power losses is the main aim of research. Different 

arrangement of rotor flux barrier shapes has been tested through finite element analysis method. 

The rotor optimization is done by varying different parameters are used such as, barrier edge 

angle, width of flux carriers, flux barriers and shaft diameter. In order to improve the motor 

performance, the method of particle swarm optimization has been used by generating samples 

with surrogate assisted optimization technique. Distinct flux barrier shapes and designs have 

been checked through simulation. For the prototype development, final V-shaped best model is 

chosen. The proposed rotor shows the excellent performance in terms of reduced torque ripple 

(27%) and improved average torque (154Nm) in experimental results. The suggested design also 

has good thermal and mechanical performances with the capability to use in various industrial 

applications.  

Keywords: torque ripple, particle swarm optimization, surrogate based technique, flux barrier, 

machine design, synchronous reluctance motor, direct drive. 

1. Introduction  

The construction of transverse-laminated 
rotor structure of synchronous reluctance 
motor (SynRM) is attracting the attention by 
the different users, because of its simple 
construction, cost, robustness and 
manufacturing process [1],[2]. Typically, a 
pumping system is mostly used to couple an 
induction motor of 1500 rpm with a 
centrifugal pump but, this system has a lot of 
disadvantages such as heavy and bulky motor 
drive system with low energy efficient. In this 

                                                           
1 Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science and Technology, Pakistan 
2 Department of Automation, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China 
Corresponding Author: abidshah@quest.edu.pk  

 

regard, for high-torque applications, 
permanent magnet synchronous machines 
(PMSM) are dominated, but the most 
important issue is the recycling of these rare-
earth metal permanent magnets. Additionally, 
the cost of magnetic material collectively with 
demand and supply chain issues is actually 
preventing these machines from assuming its 
rightful place as a motor of choice near future. 
So as the price rate of rare-earth magnets is 
growing, at the same time their market 
stability is declining [3]. Thus, a universal 
satisfactory solution has not been adopted for 

mailto:abidshah@quest.edu.pk


Syed Abid Ali Shah (et al.) Design of Low-Cost Synchronous Reluctance Motor with a Surrogate-Assisted Optimization 

Technique                                                                                                                                                   (pp. 24 – 39) 

SJET | ISSN: 2616-7069 | Vol. 3 | No. 2 | © 2020 Sukkur IBA University 

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application of closed coupled centrifugal 
pumps. After an improvement in electrical 
drives in 20th century due to enhanced 
efficiency and fast dynamic response of the 
drives, the reluctance motors represents a 
much possible alternatives [4],[5].  

The reluctance motors have a unique rotor 
structure which is arranged from laminated 
steel and do not use permanent magnet. There 
is salient rotor and works on the basis of 
reluctance torque. There are two types of 
reluctance machine the number one is 
switched reluctance motor (SRM) and second 
is synchronous reluctance motor (SynRM). If 
the stator is of round configuration and fed 
with AC supply with different phases the 
machine is called synchronous reluctance 
machines. If the stator has salient poles 
structure, the machine is called switched 
reluctance machine. The SRM has high 
torque ripple and separate DC input source is 
required to excite the winding. Whereas 
SynRM utilize sinsoidally distributed 
windings as in induction or synchronous 
machines and requires easily available 
universal sinusoidal supply, so that’s why 
author has decided to take SynRM for the 
research. 

Many industrial applications require low 
torque ripple, therefore lots of studies have 
been conducted and to enhance the 
performance of the machine, like in 
[6],[7],[8],[9], the torque ripple is 
investigated and multiple solutions are tested. 
Further to enhance the torque density of the 
machine, the rotor design is investigated in 
[10],[3],[11] in which the saliency ratio is 
examined which denotes the ratio between the 
d-axis and q- axis. 

For SynRM rotor, the type of axially 
laminated anisotropy (ALA) is mostly used in 
a high-speed operation as proved in many 
research investigations [12-15]. Due to rigid 
structure and improved saliency ratio [16-18]. 
However, because of very thicker laminations 
it produces unwanted flux oscillations with 
very high iron losses. Therefore, TLA type 
rotor is most preferable because of simple 
construction and low losses [19-22]. Hence, 
due to above advantages of SynRM 
simulation model design it has been decided 
to use TLA type rotor. It is aimed to select the 

number and shape of flux barriers to achieve 
the low power losses along with low torque 
ripples. The paper is distributed in three 
different sections. The section I describes the 
background of research.  

 

 
(a) 

 

 

 
(b) 

 

 

 

 



Syed Abid Ali Shah (et al.) Design of Low-Cost Synchronous Reluctance Motor with a Surrogate-Assisted Optimization 

Technique                                                                                                                                                   (pp. 24 – 39) 

SJET | ISSN: 2616-7069 | Vol. 3 | No. 2 | © 2020 Sukkur IBA University 

26 

 
 
 

 

 

 

 
(c)  

Fig 1: Four flux barrier rotor’s different 

designs of SynRM (a) 4 V-shaped flux barrier 

rotor (b) 4 square shaped rotor (c) 4 straight 

flux barriers with slight angle at the edges. 

The detailed rotor design with three and 
four flux barriers and its advantages have 
been described through simulation in section 
II. Also, in order to minimize torque ripple 
and to enhance efficiency, the analysis on flux 
barriers and flux carriers carried out by 
varying the width, and shaft diameter while 
using Infolytica Magnet software. In section 
III the development of rotor from 
manufacturing point of view and its process is 
mentioned. In order to validate the proposed 
rotor model, a test bench is set up by 
manufacturing the designed rotor and the 
prototype development steps are conducted 
with the experimental results and discussion 
with no-load test, low-slip test and Over speed 
test operation and experimental results of the 
proposed machine have been described in 
section IV. In section V, the brief analysis of 
results has been presented. Finally, section VI 
describes the research methodologies along 
with application and future trends.  

 

 

 

 

  

 
(a) 

 

 

 
(b) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Syed Abid Ali Shah (et al.) Design of Low-Cost Synchronous Reluctance Motor with a Surrogate-Assisted Optimization 

Technique                                                                                                                                                   (pp. 24 – 39) 

SJET | ISSN: 2616-7069 | Vol. 3 | No. 2 | © 2020 Sukkur IBA University 

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(c) 

 

  

 
(d) 

Fig 2: Three and four flux barrier rotor 

designs for SynRM (a) 4 square shaped flux 

barrier rotor (b) 3 V- shaped rotor (c) 4 square 

shaped flux barriers with slight angle at the 

end and 3 square shaped flux barriers. 

 

2.      Working prniciple of SynRM  

In SynRM, to achieve the maximum 
output, the saliency ratio (Ld-Lq) should be 
maximized. In this rotor design 0.6 to 0.7 
percent saliency ratio has been used. 
However, the torque is generated through 
reluctance variation at different rotor 
positions. The motor torque is directly 
proportional to the transformation of the 
magnetizing inductance (d-q axis) which 
impacts the coordinate system of rotor 
reference frame. In machine design, the main 
challenge is to maintain thermal constraints 
because of stator and rotor windings [23]. 
Therefore, it is essentially needed to reduce 
the involvement of winding material and 
magnetic mass. In [24] a low speed domestic 
application with direct-drive SynRM having 
six rotor geometries has been presented. Most 
of the SynRM employs advanced 
transversally laminated rotor structure. The 
rotor cage design is taken out as the machine 
can be easily started synchronously through 
inverter control system. Therefore d-q 
equations of SynRM [25]  are established as 
follows.        

𝑉𝑑𝑠 = 𝑟𝑠  𝑖𝑑𝑠┿ 
𝑑

𝑑𝑡
 𝐿𝑑𝑠 𝑖𝑑𝑠 –  𝜔𝑟 𝐿𝑑𝑠 𝑖𝑞𝑠 (1) 

𝑉𝑞𝑠 = 𝑟𝑠  𝑖𝑞𝑠┿ 
𝑑

𝑑𝑡
 𝐿𝑞𝑠 𝑖𝑞𝑠 –  𝜔𝑟 𝐿𝑑𝑠 𝑖𝑑𝑠(2) 

The Lds and Lqs represents the quadrature 
and direct axis inductances. The (ωr) is speed, 
whereas each phase of stator resistance is 
denoted by (𝑟𝑠 ). The electromagnetic torque 
in terms of d-q variables, is identical to that of 
a SynRM, namely 

𝑇𝑒  = 
3

2
 
𝑃

2
 (𝐿𝑑𝑠– 𝐿𝑞𝑠) 𝑖𝑑𝑠 𝑖𝑞𝑠                   (3) 

Whereas number of poles are denoted by P. 

In order to model the asynchronous machine, 

above equations are used.  

3.  design and simulation of SynRM 

In order to choose the best rotor design, 
seven different geometries of three and four 
flux barrier have been examined and finite 
element analysis carried out. All the test was 
conducted at 1500RPM as Fig. 1 shows the 
different flux barrier designs of the rotor. (a) 



Syed Abid Ali Shah (et al.) Design of Low-Cost Synchronous Reluctance Motor with a Surrogate-Assisted Optimization 

Technique                                                                                                                                                   (pp. 24 – 39) 

SJET | ISSN: 2616-7069 | Vol. 3 | No. 2 | © 2020 Sukkur IBA University 

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shows the four flux barriers with V-shaped 
designs in this design the flux barrier edge 
angle is kept 49 degree and the torque ripple 
is 27% which is good but machine efficiency 
is very low and the total average torque 
produces by the machine is 134Nm and one 
additional factor which is the flux density is 
higher up to 2.29. In design (b) the more angle 
is provided to sharp edges but the the 
efficiency reduces to 37% and torque ripple is 
still higher to 70% and overall average torque 
is also reducing to 93Nm with flux density 
2.2T. In design 132Nm torque is produced 
with 2.38T flux density and the torque ripple 
is 42%.  In Fig. 2 (a) circular shape with four 
flux barrier design are tested which gives the 
efficiency 47% with 118Nm torque and 2.18T 
whereas, torque ripple is slightly higher 44%. 
In (b) three V-shaped flux barrier design are 
tested which produce the highest torque 
158Nm with 70% and low torque ripple 30% 
but flux design is higher 2.7T. The design (c) 
gives 134Nm torque and 2.5T density and 
torque ripple is higher upto 46% with 63% 
efficiency. In (d) three square shaped flux 
barrier are used which produces 134Nm 
torque and 47% torque ripple with 2.17T flux 
density.  

4. Development of Synchronous 
reluctance Motor 

Keeping above data analysis in terms of 
torque, efficiency, torque ripple and flux 
density in section III, the author decide to take 
three V-shaped design as a main investigation 
point due to its higher high efficiency and 
torque production. Further design variables 
flux barrier and carrier width with edges and 
shaft diameter are modified accordingly. 
Consequently, a 3-flux barrier’s rotor of 
24kW SynRM with motor has been simulated 
with the specifications shown in table, I and 
II. 

Fig 3: Design rotor dimensions of SynRM 

 

Table I:  24kW SynRM specifications. 

Parameter Units Value Symbol 

Number of phases - 3 m 

total flux barriers - 3 - 

speed rpm 1500 nN 

Number of turns turns 12 Np 

Number of stator 

poles 

- 4 Ns 

frequency Hz 50 f 

Rated current Amps 26 I 

angle of edges  o 4 deg 

Rated power kW 24 P 

Saliency ratio  0.7  

Phase Voltage V 380 Vdc 

Stator diameter mm 310 ds 

Air-gap mm 1 g 

Machine length mm 200 l 

Average torque Nm 154 Tav 

diameter mm 188 dr 

Shaft diameter  mm 50 dsh 

 

Table II. SynRM rotor design Specifications 

Item Value Item Value 

Rotor 

Materi

al 

M350-

50Amp 

  

carrier 

width 

12.06, 

9.92,9.97,10

.21 

barrie

r 

width 

9.02, 

8.97, 

8.81  



Syed Abid Ali Shah (et al.) Design of Low-Cost Synchronous Reluctance Motor with a Surrogate-Assisted Optimization 

Technique                                                                                                                                                   (pp. 24 – 39) 

SJET | ISSN: 2616-7069 | Vol. 3 | No. 2 | © 2020 Sukkur IBA University 

29 

 
 
 

 

 

Overal

l 

carrier 

width 

42.17 Overa

ll 

barrie

r 

width 

26.822 

Rotor 

OD  

188 mm Flux 

barrie

r edge 

angle 

3 and 4 

deg 

length of first barrier (starting at outer 

diameter) 

Lower  35.9mm Upper  36mm 

length of second barrier  

Lower  36mm Upper  36mm 

length of third flux barrier  

Lower  35.63mm Upper  35.91m

m 

Note: All the dimensions are depicted in 

rotor’s half or 4th quadrant in Fig. 3. 

At first four and five barriers with square 
shaped ware simulated. However, their 
performance was not reasonable and machine 
was generating 2.7T magnetic flux density 
and the produced torque was also low in 
between (100 to 120Nm). Then 
configurations of 3 flux barrier were 
simulated with V-shaped flux barrier design 
has been proposed, as depicted in fig. 4(a)- 
and two-dimensional mesh view is shown in 
Fig. 4(b). The 2.1 Tesla of flux density, 
current waveform and produced torque is 
shown in Fig. 5 (a to c) respectively.  

 

(a) 

 

(b) 

Fig 4: (a) Model of two dimensional SynRM 

(b) Triangular view of meshes 

 
At 500 milliseconds transient simulation 

with velocity-driven settings carried out, thus 
machine can produce effective starting torque 
180 Nm and 154.30Nm average torque with 
90% efficiency. The portion of the shaft kept 
hollow to avoid additional magnetic losses 
therefore its losses are very negligible, so 
that’s why has author has not considered in 
this work. the copper, hysteresis and eddy 
current losses are 2.358watts and the stator 
hysteresis and eddy current losses are 
379watts, 

The 1000/65 Newcore nonlinear 
lamination material selected for the stator and 
for rotor lamination M350-50A material used 
in the machine.  



Syed Abid Ali Shah (et al.) Design of Low-Cost Synchronous Reluctance Motor with a Surrogate-Assisted Optimization 

Technique                                                                                                                                                   (pp. 24 – 39) 

SJET | ISSN: 2616-7069 | Vol. 3 | No. 2 | © 2020 Sukkur IBA University 

30 

 
 
 

 

 

 

                                                                    (b) 

(a) 

(c) 

Fig. 5 (a) 2.1 (Tesla) flux density (b) Flux linkage (c) generated torque of the SynRM 



Syed Abid Ali Shah (et al.) Design of Low-Cost Synchronous Reluctance Motor with a Surrogate-Assisted Optimization 

Technique                                                                                                                                                   (pp. 24 – 39) 

SJET | ISSN: 2616-7069 | Vol. 3 | No. 2 | © 2020 Sukkur IBA University 

31 

 
 
 

 

 

 Fig 6: The 4 pole 36 slots double layer stator 

 

 

5. Experimental Validation 

Subsequently the optimization of rotor 
design scheme the machine performance was 
examined and the 3-flux barrier rotor design 
was chosen for further refinement and 
Surrogate based optimization technique was 
applied with four main variables of rotor 
design which are Flux barrier width, flux 
carrier width, shaft diameter and barrier edge 
angle. Total 20 Latin hypercube samples are 
generated to check the toraue, efficiency, 
torque ripples and magnetic flux density. And 
finally, best design is selected for the 
prototype development.  

 

Fig 7: Prototype development stages of the proposed rotor (a) early manufacturing from the 

factory (b) flux barrier filling with magic and PVC (c) assembled rotor with shaft (d) final 

assembled rotor after machining 



Syed Abid Ali Shah (et al.) Design of Low-Cost Synchronous Reluctance Motor with a Surrogate-Assisted Optimization 

Technique                                                                                                                                                   (pp. 24 – 39) 

SJET | ISSN: 2616-7069 | Vol. 3 | No. 2 | © 2020 Sukkur IBA University 

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In order to improve the mechanical 
integrity of the rotor manufacturing process, 
the polyvinylchloride material was inserted 
inside of the flux barrier and it took almost 2 
days to dry the rotor. The complete rotor 
manufacturing stages from manufacturing in 
the factory to assembled rotor in the 
machining process are shown in Fig. 7. The 
stator for the proposed motor used is identical  
of standard Cummins BCI-184F machine is 
shown in Fig. 8, whereas the complete 
specifications are described in [26, 27]. There 
are short-pitched 2/3 winding arrangement 
with double layer star connection. Each slot 
area is 144mm2 for individual layer.   The 
experimental test rig of the whole was built 
and tested as depicted in Fig. 8. 

Fig 8: The Standard stator from a Cummins 

BCI-184F machine 

A-NO-LOAD TEST 

An experimental set-up was conducted in 
order to measure the rated voltage, current, 
power and other parameters at no-load and is 
shown is Fig. 9. The no load speed test is 
conducted at 13.3⁰C ambient temperature by 
coupling the shaft of proposed machine with 
55kW permanent magnet synchronous 
machine. The simulation results achieved 
through the FEM analysis are validated by 
experimental measurements on the test bench. 
The designed SynRM was tested under no-
load condition, at fifteen different driven 
speed and ten different frequencies. The 
frequency varied at steps: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 
30, 33, 35, 38, 40, 42, 45 and 50. Thus the 
machine speed has been changing according 

to synchronous speed: 150, 299, 452, 600, 
752, 900, 995, 1052, 1140, 1200, 1260, 1314, 
1350, 1433, 1500 RPM. 

Table VII. No-load experimental data of 

speed, current, voltage, power, power factor, 

harmonics and vibration from 0-50Hz 

frequency. 

 

Fig 9: Experimental test rig 

A. The SynRM       

B. Siemens Drive       

C. 55kW load motor  

D. ABB Drive    

E. Temperature meter     

F. Oscilloscope Tektronix TDS 2024B 

G.   Torque meter JN-338     

H. Fluke power meter 

I. Mutimeter         

J.     Speed meter        

K. Torque transducer  

L. Siemens circuit breaker CDM10-100/3300 

Delixi 

M. Motor side coupling        

N. N. Load side coupling 

43.8, 45, 47.8, 50 Hz frequency. Table III 
presents the rms value of current and voltage 
with power, power factor, total harmonics 
distortion and vibration reading at various 
speed.  

Table IV shows the temperature readings 
at for 150 to 1500 rpm driven speed 
respectively and Fig. 10. depicts the 
temperature graph at 5 to 50Hz frequency. As 
it can be noted that the from no-load test 
results the number of harmonics and vibration 
is decreasing as the machine is getting higher 



Syed Abid Ali Shah (et al.) Design of Low-Cost Synchronous Reluctance Motor with a Surrogate-Assisted Optimization 

Technique                                                                                                                                                   (pp. 24 – 39) 

SJET | ISSN: 2616-7069 | Vol. 3 | No. 2 | © 2020 Sukkur IBA University 

33 

 
 
 

 

 

speed mainly due to fact that as the machine’s 
performance becomes more stable. The 
reduction of harmonics and vibration content 

is therefore and important achievement in the 
results.    

 

Table III. No-load Test Temperature experimental data of speed, current, voltage, power, 

power factor and harmonics from 0-50Hz frequency. 

 

B-LOW-SLIP TEST 

In order to verify the analysis in the paper, 
the low slip test is performed. In the low slip 
test different performance of synchronous 
reluctance motor carried out, the speed is 
varied from 150 to 1500rpm by Siemens VFD 
and the load motor 55kW is rotated anti 
clockwise at different speed and torque 
settings and all the parameters are noted such 
as current, voltage, power, power factor and 

harmonics. The test machine is derived by 
Siemens-Micromaster-440 drive and the 
55kW coupled machine is derived by ABB 
ACS800 drive.  

 The temperature readings along with 
current, voltage, power, power factor and 
harmonics are shown in table IV and V, 
whereas the harmonics reading and parameter 
setting of load drive motor is shown in table 
VI.  

Hz RPM I V kW P.f Harmonics Vibration 

m/s2 

5 150 17.8 155 0.28 0.08 254 102.1 

10 299 18.3 163.5 0.29 0.09 141.8 99.9 

15 452 18.2 172.9 0.36 0.10 165% 98 

20 600 18 182 0.34 0.09 116% 99.6 

25 752 18 190 0.36 0.10 16.7/0.4/5.3 98.5 

30 900 18.1 196.2 0.36 0.10 9.2/6.7/0.3 100 

33 995 19.7 199 0.38 0.11 13.6/2.4/14.7 97.2 

35 1052 18.2 202 0.40 0.11 8.5/7.5/0.4 97.7 

38 1140 18.4 208 0.42 0.11 14.5/12.4/7.1 97.9 

40 1200 18.4 213 0.45 0.12 14.3/11.2/ 96 

42 1260 18.8 217.4 0.52 0.13 8.26% 91.5 

43.80 1314 21.7 221 0.53 0.13 8.3/13.7 91 

45 1350 18.4 229 0.52 0.13 6.7/4./0.8 92 

47.8 1433 18 236 0.55 .13 8.3/13.7 93 

50 1500 18.4 249  0.56 0.14 6.4/5.1/0.6 93 



Syed Abid Ali Shah (et al.) Design of Low-Cost Synchronous Reluctance Motor with a Surrogate-Assisted Optimization 

Technique                                                                                                                                                   (pp. 24 – 39) 

SJET | ISSN: 2616-7069 | Vol. 3 | No. 2 | © 2020 Sukkur IBA University 

34 

 
 
 

 

 

Fig 10: Temperature graph as different input frequency and speed 

Table IV. Low-Slip Test Temperature readings of the test machine from 0-50 frequency and 0 

to 1500RPM rated speed

 

 

 

 

 

Frequency T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 RPM 

5Hz 29.3 30 31.9 32 27.6 150 

17Hz 32.3 34.1 37.2 30 31.4 513 

25Hz 32.3 34 36.6 31.3 31.8 750 

Not Torque applied by ABB at 50Hz 

25Hz 32.8 34.5 36.8 33 32.7 750 

30Hz 32.8 34.2 36.7 33.2 33.2 899 

Now Torque Applied on the machine 

30Hz 32.7 34.1 36.7 33.4 33.6 900 

35Hz 33 34.5 37.1 33.6 34.1 1050 

Now Torque Applied on the machine 

35Hz 33.5 34.9 37.5 34.3 34.6 1050 

40Hz 34.1 35.2 37.9 34.8 35.7 1200 

Now Torque Applied on the machine 

40Hz 34.2 35.2 37.9 34.4 35.9 1200 

45Hz 35.4 36.2 39.5 36.2 36.8 1356 

Now Torque Applied on the machine 

45Hz 36.1 37 40.2 37.1 37.8 1350 

50Hz 36.6 37.7 41.1 37.6 38.3 1500 



Syed Abid Ali Shah (et al.) Design of Low-Cost Synchronous Reluctance Motor with a Surrogate-Assisted Optimization 

Technique                                                                                                                                                   (pp. 24 – 39) 

SJET | ISSN: 2616-7069 | Vol. 3 | No. 2 | © 2020 Sukkur IBA University 

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Table V. Low-slip test 

Frequency RPM Current Voltage Power P.f 

5Hz 150 18 139 0.22 0.09 

17Hz 513 18.2 163 0.36 0.12 

25Hz 750 17.8 181 41 0.14 

 Now Torque applied by ABB at 50Hz 

25Hz 750 18 181 0.51 0.16 

30Hz 899 18 192 0.54 0.17 

 Now Torque Applied on the machine 

30Hz 900 18.2 191 0.68/0.76 0.21 

35Hz 1050 19 312 0.85 0.224 

 Now Torque Applied on the machine 

35Hz 1050 18.8 200 0.94 0.25 

40Hz 1200 18.9 211 1.10 0.26 

 Now Torque Applied on the machine 

Same all 1200 18.9 211 1.10 0.27 

45Hz 1356 20.7 227 1.17 0.28 

 Now Torque Applied on the machine 

45Hz 1350 20.7 226 1.76 0.37 

50Hz 1500 23.8 239 2.29 0.41 

 

Table VI. Harmonics produces by the SynRM and parameter settings of load motor. 

Harmonics Torque 

Nm 

ABB drive reference 

settings Hz/Rpm 
ABB Drive current 

512% 0.2 0.1Hz/  

44.7% 0.42 0.6/-9.8 2.4 

 0.5 0.6/-9.8 2.9 

Not Torque applied by ABB at 50Hz 

14.5/4.9/0.4  0.8/-11.7/-52% 45/6.3 

8.3/3.0/0.5 0.9 0.8/-11.7 45/6.3 

Now Torque Applied on the machine 

8.5/3.3/0.2 1.4 1/68% 68/10.1 

7.5/4.8/0.3 1.7 1.1/-77% 67/11.4 

Now Torque Applied on the machine 

7.4/4.2/0.2 1.7 1.2/-16rpm/-84% 72/15 

12/8.2/2 2.3 1.2/-16rpm/-84% 72/15 

Now Torque Applied on the machine 

12/8.1/0.3 2.3 1.4/-19/99 86/19 

7.2/6.3/0.2 2.9 1.4/19.6 84/11.8 

Now Torque Applied on the machine 

7.2/6.2/0.3 3.4 1.7/-23.8/117.74T 102.84/12 

5.9/6.1/0.3 3.9 1.7/-24.7rpm/-113T 99.74/18 

 

 



Syed Abid Ali Shah (et al.) Design of Low-Cost Synchronous Reluctance Motor with a Surrogate-Assisted Optimization 

Technique                                                                                                                                                   (pp. 24 – 39) 

SJET | ISSN: 2616-7069 | Vol. 3 | No. 2 | © 2020 Sukkur IBA University 

36 

 
 
 

 

 

C-OVERSPEED TEST 

In order to verify the analysis in the paper, 
the over speed and test is performed. Firstly, 
the machine was speedup to normal speed at 
1500RM and then gradually speed was 

increased while varying the frequency from 
51-55Hz. It was observed the machine was 
running good with thermally stable. The 
experimental results of overspeed test are 
shown at Table VII and VIII. 

 

Table VII. Low-slip test experimental data of speed, current, voltage, power, power factor and 

harmonics from 0-50Hz frequency. 

Speed 

Rpm 

Frequency Current Voltage Power P.f Harmonics 

1530 51Hz 1530 18.9 245 0.44 0.15 

1560 52Hz 1560 22.5 248 0.63 0.124 

1590 53Hz 1590 17.8 249 0.0.59 0.13 

1620 54Hz 1620 18.1 251.9 0.65 0.14 

1635 54.5Hz 1635 17.3 250 0.64 0.14 

1650 55Hz 1650 17.2 251 0.64 0.15 

 

Table VIII. Over speed Test Temperature readings of the test machine from 0-50 frequency 

and 0 to 1500RPM rated speed. 

Speed Rpm Frequency T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 

1530 51Hz 29.5 29.6 32.1 23.4 31 

1560 52Hz 29.8 30 32.4 27.4 31.7 

1590 53Hz 30.2 30.2 32.7 29.2 31.9 

1620 54Hz 30.3 30.3 33 31.7 32.2 

1635 54.5Hz 30.6 30.8 33 31.3 22.6 

1650 55Hz 30.9 30.8 33.1 32.3 32.8 

 

6. Analysis of Experiment Results 

The main aim of the experimental 
validation is to confirm the simulation model 
at no-load, low slip and over speed test. 
Addition to this, temperature at different 
speed of each method is determined. In the 
over speed test as per Siemens drive default 
settings machine is started at 5Hz frequency 
which runs at 150RPM at ambient 
temperature 16.2 degree centigrade. There are 
5 thermocouple temperature sensors have 
been located at different positions in the test 
machine.  

 

(a) 



Syed Abid Ali Shah (et al.) Design of Low-Cost Synchronous Reluctance Motor with a Surrogate-Assisted Optimization 

Technique                                                                                                                                                   (pp. 24 – 39) 

SJET | ISSN: 2616-7069 | Vol. 3 | No. 2 | © 2020 Sukkur IBA University 

37 

 
 
 

 

 

 

(b) 

 

(c) 

  

(d) 

Fig.11 Experimental results (a) The voltage 

wave form; (b) power and power factor 

reading; (c) total harmonics distortion; (d) 

torque wave form at different input frequency 

and speed 

The three sensors are used for winding 
and their location is 120 mechanical degree 
apart and two sensors are located at stator 
outer body. The results of over speed test of 
all the parameters and temperature parameters 
are shown in Table VII and VIII respectively. 
The reading T1, T2 and T3 shows the winding 
temperature whereas T4 and T5 is the stator 
outer body temperature. The speed is 
controlled from the input supply frequency 
from Siemens drive. It can be observed from 
the data reading that the T3 has the highest 
reading 33.1⁰C at 15Hz frequency with 
1650RPM whereas remaining all the 
temperature reading is below the maximum 
which reflects that the machine the thermally 
stable. The graph of bar chart also depicts the 
temperature reading under various frequency 
changes as shown in Fig 10. The no-load 
experimental data of speed, current, voltage, 
power, power factor, harmonics and vibration 
are shown in Table. III and their 
corresponding photos of 3-phase current 
wave form, amperes, voltage and frequency 
values with total harmonics distortion and 
generated torque wave form are shown in Fig. 
11 (a-d). It is observed that initially the 
machine has high vibration at low speed but 
as the speed is increased the machine is also 
stable which is very good in terms of 
mechanical point of view at can be seen from 
the data at 50Hz frequency and 1500RPM the 
vibration is 93 m/s2 which is much better than 
at the time of starting. 

7. Conclusion 

This paper has presented the simulation 
and experimental studies on synchronous 
reluctance machine with a symmetrical rotor 
design for centrifugal pumps. A technique 
based on surrogate with particle swarm 
optimization has been developed to aid in the 
machine. Distinct shapes of the rotor are 
analyzed through simulation and modified the 
flux barrier shape, shaft diameter and angle of 
edges to reduce the torque ripple and losses of 
the machine. The experimental results 
validate the numerical designs for the 
proposed machine. A permanent magnet 
material could also be inserted in rotor flux 



Syed Abid Ali Shah (et al.) Design of Low-Cost Synchronous Reluctance Motor with a Surrogate-Assisted Optimization 

Technique                                                                                                                                                   (pp. 24 – 39) 

SJET | ISSN: 2616-7069 | Vol. 3 | No. 2 | © 2020 Sukkur IBA University 

38 

 
 
 

 

 

barriers to improve flux density. As this 
would be beneficial for high torque machines. 
The proposed rotor A symmetrical rotor can 
improve effective thermal and mechanical 
performance of the machine and can be 
beneficial for some applications which are 
uni-directional in machine operations, as this 
work is targeted.   

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Technique                                                                                                                                                   (pp. 24 – 39) 

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