Electronic – BLDC Motor Maximum Locked Rotor Current

brushless-dc-motordc motormotor

Is there any equation to find the maximum Locked Rotor current using the motor characteristics values?

The motor I am interested in is ThinGap 7140.

Here is the datasheet:
http://www.thingap.com/wp-content/themes/ndic/pdf/TG7140.pdf

The initial current(maximum Locked Rotor current) is 14.1 Amp, and I know the maximum Locked Rotor torque is T=i*Kt, which is 0.17*14.1=2.39 (datasheet says 2.41 Nm).

I am wondering how the manufacturer obtain the maximum Locked Rotor current. Is this number has to obtain from testing? or it is something I can calculate from motor characteristics?

Also, how come the motor RPM vs Torque relationship is not inversely proportional like other DC motor?

Thank you for all your help.

Best Answer

Okay, the data makes sense but it presented in a bit of a strange way. We use similar motors in some special applications.

The actual LRA is simply the voltage divided by the terminal resistance. If you applied 160V to a stalled motor it would be about 670 Amperes. The motor will last maybe milliseconds or less with 10kW of dissipation.

The quoted 'Maximum LRA' is the maximum allowable current through a stalled motor. It is 14.1A. It is determined by the maximum temperature the winding insulation can withstand, the winding resistance at maximum temperature, and assumptions about ambient temperature. The manufacturer would use some sophisticated thermal modelling techniques and/or actual measurements to determine the limits.

The motor can cool itself better if it's not stalled so the maximum run current is higher (28A).

Similarly, the 'Max Continous Power and Torque vs. Speed' are not torque curves, but the maximum permissible torque for a given speed.

In both cases you must limit the current (and thus the torque) or the motor may fail.