Acoustic Noise Characterization of a Switched Reluctance Motor Using Sound Power and Psychoacoustic Metric Measurements

This paper presents an experimental acoustic noise characterization of a switched reluctance motor (SRM) designed for a wind turbine pitch angle control application. It details the fixture design for holding and positioning the sound intensity probes, along with the essential hardware setup for conducting acoustic noise experiments. Additionally, the software configuration is described to ensure compliance with specific measurement requirements. To study the effect of speed and load variations on the motor’s acoustic noise characteristics, tests are conducted at various operating points. The tests employ pulse-width modulation (PWM) current control, operating at a switching frequency of 12.5 kHz. Sound pressure and sound intensity are measured across different operating conditions to determine the sound power and psychoacoustic metrics. Furthermore, the effect of different factors on the motor’s sound power level, as well as on psychoacoustic metrics such as sharpness, loudness, and roughness, is analyzed and discussed.