Rotor Design to Improve Starting Performance of the Line-start Synchronous Reluctance Motor

A single-phase line-start synchronous reluctance motor (LSSynRM) has merits of low cost, high efficiency and reliability. LSSynRM has an unbalanced magnetic circuit caused by flux barriers and various shapes of conductor bars when starting. Thus the motor may generate unstable starting torque in accordance with the initial starting position of the rotor. This paper presents the rotor design to improve starting performance of the LSSynRM. Design variables are the number and the shape of the conductor bars. This design result is compared with the initial prototype and single-phase induction motor.