Torque Ripple Suppression in the 6/4 Variable Flux Reluctance Machine with Open Winding Configuration by Using Harmonic Injection

High torque ripple can be observed with a 6/4 variable flux reluctance machine (VFRM). In order to minimize the torque ripple in VFRMs, this paper presents a harmonic injection method for 6/4 VFRMs with an open-winding configuration. By analyzing the impact of harmonics on VFRMs, the method involves detecting the third harmonic using a first-order low-pass filter (FLPF). Subsequently, the extracted harmonics are controlled and shifted to counteract the voltage harmonics in both inverters without inducing phase imbalance or overvoltage. With the proposed method, the torque ripple can be significantly reduced by about 50% under load conditions. The effectiveness of the harmonic injection method is validated through a prototype VFRM.