Vibration damping with piezoelectric actuators for electrical motors

Purpose - This paper seeks to study the feasibility of a stator vibration damping using piezoelectric (PZT) actuators applied to switched reluctance motors (SRM). Design/methodology/approach - A single-phase structure without moving rotor, but with the same shape as an SRM stator, is introduced to simplify the study and the experimental measurements. Both analytical and finite element methods are used to detail the chosen location and design of the PZT actuators for this structure. Findings - Experimental results show that PZT actuators with a low voltage allow the decrease of the vibration level due to the electromagnetic forces. Research limitations/implications - To decrease the vibration level of the SRM stator in the real use of the machine, a closed loop system is necessary. Future works consist of the design of a closed loop numerical controller using an acceleration sensor as strain information. Practical implications - The proposed damping method gives a new solution for the SRM noise problem that can be useful for people working on noise reduction on this machine. Originality/value - So far vibration damping of SRM stator was obtained using a command or a geometry "acoustically" optimised, or active vibration with an auxiliary coil. The solution presented here applies PZT vibration damping to the stator with a thickness more important than the one of classical plates used for PZT damping applications.