The paper presents a model for calculations of the temperature field in electric mine motors with a water cooled frame. That model was worked out with use of modified and improved thermal networks developed by the author for determining the temperature distributions in different types of ac machines. Thermal calculations for a selected type of 400 kW mining motor were performed with use of an original computer program. Their results were compared with those obtained from measurements. On the basis of the verified simulation results there was determined the influence of value changes of parameters characterising the work environment condition (ambient temperature, inlet temperature and cooling water discharge, degree of covering the casing with coal dust) on the mining motor thermal state.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a dynamic thermal model of a permanent magnet excited synchronous motor (PMSM). The model estimates the temperature at specific points of the machine during operation. The model is implemented using thermal network theory, whose parameters are determined by means of analytical approaches. Usually thermal models are initialized and referenced to room temperature. However, this can lead to incorrect results, if the simulations are performed when the electrical machine operates under “warm” conditions. An approach is developed and discussed in this paper, which captures the model in critical states of the machine. The model gives feedback by online measured quantities to estimate the initial temperature. The paper provides an extended dynamic thermal model, which leads to a more accurate and more efficient thermal estimation.