Research Project: Lifetime model winding insulation

The reliability of electric vehicles is a key aspect to satisfy the market requirements in terms of lifetime. However, a verified lifetime model of the critical electromechanical components is missing so far. Increases in transistor switching speed, voltage levels and frequency harmonics of the dynamically evolving inverters increase the electrical stress on the motor winding insulation and lead to partial discharges (PD), which can reduce the life of the electrical machine to an unacceptable level. The aging process of the winding insulation is associated with several influencing factors, including electrical, thermal and mechanical stresses. Therefore, this project investigates the effects of the main influencing factors on the insulation lifetime, resulting in a statistical lifetime model.

> detailed project description (.pdf)