APPENDIX B

CARTERS COEFFICIENT

In our previous analysis, we neglected the effects of slots on the stator and rotor. As it
turns out, the effects of slots can be readily incorporated into the analysis by replacing
the air gap g with a modified air gap g. In particular, for the case of the stator slots,
the modified air gap is calculated as
g = gcs

(B-1)

where cs is the stator Carter s coefficient. We will now derive this result as well as a
value for cs.
The derivation of (B-1) begins with consideration of Figure B-1. This figure depicts
the developed diagram over a small range of position w corresponding to one-half of
a stator slot width plus one-half of a stator tooth width. Thus
w=

1
1
wss + wst
2
2

(B-2)

where wss is the stator slot width and wst is the stator tooth width, both measured at the
stator/air-gap interface.
Let us first consider the situation if we ignore the slot. In this case, it can be shown
that the flux flowing across the air gap in the interval w may be expressed as
=

0 l
(wss + wst )
2g

(B-3)

where l is the length of the machine and  is the magnetomotive force (MMF) drop
between the stator and rotor at that point. Because the slot is unaccounted for in (B-3),
this expression is in error, because part of the flux (2) will have to travel further. Our
goal will be to establish a value g such that

Analysis of Electric Machinery and Drive Systems, Third Edition. Paul Krause, Oleg Wasynczuk,
Scott Sudhoff, and Steven Pekarek.
2013 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. Published 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

626

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CARTERS COEFFICIENT

0 l
(wss + wst )
2g

(B-4)

is correct, or is at least a good approximation.

To this end, let us calculate the flux, including the effects of the slot. To this end,
it is convenient to divide the flux into two components,
= 1 + 2

(B-5)

The first term is readily expressed as

1 =

0 wst l
2g

(B-6)

The second term is more involved. At a position z (see Fig. B-1), the distance from the
rotor to the stator along the indicate path is g + z/2. Thus, the field intensity along this
path may be estimated as
H=


g + z / 2

(B-7)

The flux 2 may be expressed as

wss / 2

2 =

(B-8)

Bldz

z=0

Substitution of (B-7) into (B-8) and noting that the fields are in air yields
2 =

2 0 l wss
ln 1 +

4 g

(B-9)

The final step is to add (B-6) and (B-8) and to equate the result to (B-4). The result is
(B-1), where

wst

wss
w

stator
tooth

g
f1 f 2
rotor

Figure B-1. Carters coefficient.

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CARTERS COEFFICIENT

cs =

wss + wst
4 g wss
ln 1 +
wst +

4 g

(B-10)

Observe that g, g, and cs can all be functions of position (as measured from the stator
or the rotor) but this functional dependence is not explicitly shown.
The use of (B-1) and (B-10) is straightforward and very useful, because it allows
us, with a simple substitution of g for g, to account, albeit approximately, for the effects
of the stator slots on magnetizing inductance calculations, as well as flux linkage due
to permanent magnets.
For machines with both stator and rotor slots, the concept of Carter s coefficient
can still be used; however, in this case
g = gcs cr

(B-11)

where
cr =

wrs + wrt
4 gcs wrs
ln 1 +
wrt +

4 g

(B-12)

and where wrs and wrt are the width of the rotor slot and rotor tooth where it meets the
air gap.
Before concluding, it should be noted that (B-10) and (B-12) are based on a geometry in which tooth tips do not exist or are neglected. In cases where this is not applicable, the same methods can be used to find an alternate expression for Carter s
coefficient.