Statorstroms

Statorstroms is a term used in electrical engineering to describe localized circulating currents that can form within the stator windings of electric machines such as motors and generators. The term is not part of a formal standard and is used chiefly in theoretical discussions and some experimental studies to refer to intra-winding current loops rather than the overall stator current. In many texts, the phenomenon is described more specifically as circulating or short-circuit currents within windings.

Causes include harmonic content in the stator supply, asymmetries in winding impedance, nonuniform insulation or winding resistances, and parasitic coupling among stator conductors. Under certain operating conditions, flux and impedance interactions can induce current loops that flow entirely within the stator assembly. Shorted turns, manufacturing tolerances, or structural resonances can amplify these currents, increasing copper losses and local heating.

Implications for designers include considerations of efficiency, thermal limits, insulation life, and electromagnetic compatibility. Statorstroms are typically addressed through winding design, careful impedance balancing, insertion of damping elements, and enhanced cooling. In diagnostics, recognizing statorstroms helps explain anomalous heat patterns or unexpected loss measurements that are not explained by the principal stator current.

Measurement and modeling approaches combine finite-element analysis of the stator geometry with internal current sensing, phase balance checks, and thermal imaging. Researchers may use circuit models with lumped or distributed parameters to predict the formation and impact of statorstroms under different loading and supply conditions.