Dynamometer system for testing electric motor designs

30th March 2020

Alex Lynn

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SAKOR Technologies has announced that it recently provided the University of Houston’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering with a dynamometer system designed to test motor and inverter designs for use in hybrid and electric vehicle applications.

The system features dual opposing 7.5 kilowatt (kW) AccuDyne four-quadrant AC motoring dynamometers, variable frequency drives, and a variety of subsystems configured for testing electrical machines. The dynamometers are capable of bi-directional loading and motoring, allowing researchers to test different algorithms and designs. One dynamometer will be used for testing permanent magnet motors and the other will be used to test induction motors.

The dynamometers feature regenerative operation, which recovers most of the load energy and makes the system extremely power efficient. They operate at up to 8,000 revolutions per minute (rpm) and offer up to 150% overload capacity, making them compatible with most small hybrid and electric vehicle architectures.

The system is automated by SAKOR’s DynoLAB test automation control system, a powerful system that provides the capabilities necessary for the typical test engineer and/or technician to design and implement complex test procedures without the need to learn a programming language.

“We are extremely happy to be involved with universities pursuing important research and development necessary to design new energy efficient technologies,” said Randal Beattie, president of SAKOR. “This flexible testing system is ideal for use in an academic environment and users can develop and test many different algorithms and technologies with a single test system.”