Efficiency Map Versus Time-Stepping Solutions for Drive Cycle Performance Analysis of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors

Numerous research endeavours have examined the performance analysis of electric motors within drive cycles. Many have preliminarily focused on steady-state analysis to construct efficiency maps, which offer simplicity and time-efficiency. However, the accuracy of such maps in dynamic drive scenarios has remained unquantified. Additionally, there is a lack of exploration regarding the quantification of conventional efficiency maps compared to time-stepping solutions. This study addresses these gaps by investigating the disparities between grid-based efficiency maps and time-stepping solutions for a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) across various drive cycles. A laboratory based PMSM is used as an example test case machine, and standard drive cycles are down-scaled for laboratory testing. Steady state efficiency maps are obtained using finite element analysis and are compared with time-stepping solutions from direct laboratory measurements.