Real-time computer-based torque measurement of switched reluctance motors

Accurate knowledge of the electromagnetic torque behaviour and characteristics of the switched reluctance motor (SRM) is crucial for its research, development and applications. However, few methods of measuring torque for the SRM have previously been developed. Those known are either quite inaccurate or have the disadvantages of being too time and resource exhaustive. This paper proposes a semi-automated method of measuring the torque characteristics of the SRM. The measurement system developed not only provides a convenient way of obtaining highly accurate torque characteristics from the SRM but is performed at low cost. The measuring scheme was developed under a graphical programming environment and a PC-based real-time system. The details of the method, the experimental results and an error analysis are presented in the paper.