International Journal of Power Electronics and Drive Systems (IJPEDS)
Vol 17, No 3: September 2026

FEA-based optimization of switches for reluctance motors

Hiba Esam Aziz (Northern Technical University)
Abdullah K. Shanshal (Northern Technical University)
Imad Idan Abed Al-Khalaf (Northern Technical University)
Tamer Kamel (University of Plymouth)



Article Info

Publish Date
01 Sep 2026

Abstract

Switched reluctance motors (SRMs) are considered one of the important machines used in industry sectors due to their simple structure, robustness, and high-speed capability. However, the performance is often limited by high torque ripple and acoustic noise due to the uneven magnetic flux distribution. This paper presents an optimization study for improving flux distribution by shape design modifications of the stator and rotor geometry using finite element analysis (FEA) combined with the whale optimization algorithm (WOA). More specifically, FEA is utilized to calculate the magnetic field behavior, torque characteristics, and core losses for different structural geometries of the proposed design, while WOA systematically searches for the optimum values of shape parameters. Thus, the simulation results show that the proposed approach significantly improves the uniformity of flux distribution, hence reducing torque ripple and improving the efficiency. The integration of FEA with the WOA provides a practical and effective way to achieve better SRM performance without further complication of control algorithms.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

IJPEDS

Publisher

Subject

Control & Systems Engineering Electrical & Electronics Engineering

Description

International Journal of Power Electronics and Drive Systems (IJPEDS, ISSN: 2088-8694, a SCOPUS indexed Journal) is the official publication of the Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science (IAES). The scope of the journal includes all issues in the field of Power Electronics and drive systems. ...