Analytical Thermal Models for Small Induction Motors

Thermal analysis is an important design aspect and becoming a more important component of the electric motor design process due to the push for reduced weights and costs and increased efficiency. The accuracy of analytical thermal models depends on the accuracy of the thermal resistance computation and on the number of nodes in the equivalent thermal circuit. In this paper several thermal analytical models with different numbers of nodes are compared against with each other and with experimental data. It will be demonstrated that the more sophisticated and detailed model having a larger number of nodes can be used to calibrate the simpler but faster models with less nodes. The models are all for the same range of small TENV induction motors.