Design of high-power ultra-high-speed permanent magnet machine

The demand for ultra-high-speed machines (UHSM) is rapidly growing in high-tech industries due to their attractive features. A-mechanically-based-antenna (AMEBA) system is another emerging application of UHSM. It enables portable wireless communication in the radio frequency (RF)-denied environment, which was not possible until recently. The AMEBA system requires a high-power (HP) UHSM for its effective communication performance. However, at the expected rotational speed range of 0.5 to 1 million rpm, the power level of UHSM is limited, and no research effort has succeeded to improve the power level of UHSM. The design of HP-UHSM is highly iterative, and it presents several critical challenges, unlike low-power UHSM, such as critical-bending-resonance (CBR), strong mutual influence among Multiphysics performances, exponential air-friction loss, and material limitation. When the magnetic loading of the UHSM rotor is increased to improve the power level, the rotor experiences serious mechanical vibration due to the excessive centrifugal forces and CBR. This vibration limits the operation of HP-UHSM and leads to structural breakdown. Furthermore, the design process becomes more critical when it considers the multidisciplinary design constraints and application requirements. This dissertation proposed a new Multiphysics design method to develop HP-UHSM for critical applications. First, the critical design constraints which prevent increasing the output power of UHSM are investigated. Then, a Multiphysics optimization model is developed by coupling several multidisciplinary analysis modules. This proposed optimization model enables (i) defining multidisciplinary design constraints, (ii) consideration of Multiphysics mutual influence, and (iii) a trade-off analysis between the efficiency and design-safety-margin. The proposed design model adopts the multiphase winding system to effectively increase the electrical loading in the slotless stator. Finally, a 2000 W 500,000 rpm HP-UHSM is optimized for an AMEBA system using the proposed design method. The optimized 2 kW 500,000 rpm machine prototype and its dynamo setup are built in the laboratory. Extensive finite element simulations and experimental testing results are presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed design method. The results show that the proposed HP-USHM has 94.5% efficiency, 47 kW/L power density, 30% global design safety margin at the maximum speed and no CBR frequency below 11 kHz

Basics of High-Speed Electrical Machines

The high-speed electrical machines are widely used in different industries, such as machine tools, aerospace engineering, autonomous power engineering, etc. This chapter is devoted to the basics of high-speed electrical machines with high-coercitivity permanent magnets. It is considered in the application areas of high-speed electrical machines and their classifications. In addition, design problems of high-speed electrical machines are shown. To estimate the efficiency, loss calculations are performed. The obtained results can be used in the design of high-speed electrical machines with high-coercitivity permanent magnets and in their future development

Improving high-speed electrical machines by amorphous metals

This dissertation is about the application of an amorphous magnetic material (AMM) to a sleeve-free interior permanent-magnet (PM) rotor of high-speed synchronous motors. Currently, surface-mounted PM rotors are commonly used in the high-speed motors. In order to protect the high-speed rotors from centrifugal forces, high-strength non-ferromagnetic sleeves are required. This results in a reduced torque density, lowered flux-weakening ability, and highen losses of the motor caused by pulse-width-modulation (PWM) voltage. Hence, a sleeve-free rotor structure is beneficial. AMM has been used for transformers and inductors for decades. It is well-known due to its low core losses. However, because of its high hardness and brittleness, slotting becomes a key obstacle to its application in electrical machines. Hence, this material has not been widely applied in the electrical machines yet. An important property, the high mechanical strength of the AMM has been ignored eagerly. In this work, an interior PM rotor made from AMM for high-speed operation is studied. The high mechanical strength and the low core losses of the AMM are fully taken use of. Because of the difficulty in slotting of the AMM, this material is not used for the stator and a conventional silicon steel will be used. In order to fulfill the proposed high-speed rotor, the properties of the AMM in terms of electromagnetics and mechanics are experimentally studied. The influences of the mechanical stress and temperature on the electromagnetic properties of the AMM cores are well studied. Based on the measured data, a prototype is designed and optimized in terms of electromagnetics, mechanics and thermal behaviors. To ensure the success of the prototype, the slotting methods are also investigated and wire electrical discharge machining method is selected for manufacturing of the AMM rotor core. In order to show the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed high-speed AMM rotor, a surface-mounted PM rotor covered by a carbon-fiber sleeve is designed as a comparison. Since the influences of the PWM inverter on the losses of the high-speed motors are significant and this problem has not been thoroughly investigated before, the dissertation goes into a further research on it to fill the gap in this field. Finally, two prototypes are built and tested. The design results are verified through experiments. It is verified that by applying the AMM to the proposed rotor, the performance of the high-speed PM motor is significantly improved, such as better flux weaking ability, higher torque and power densities and higher efficiency. Based on the tested data of the prototypes, it is confirmed that the AMM has high potential in the application of high-speed high-power-density PM motors

Permanent magnet machines for high-speed applications

This paper overviews high-speed permanent magnet (HSPM) machines, accounting for stator structures, winding configurations, rotor constructions, and parasitic effects. Firstly, single-phase and three-phase PM machines are introduced for high-speed applications. Secondly, for three-phase HSPM machines, applications, advantages, and disadvantages of slotted/slotless stator structures, non-overlapping/overlapping winding configurations, different rotor constructions, i.e., interior PM (IPM), surface-mounted PM (SPM), and solid PM, are summarised in detail. Thirdly, parasitic effects due to high-speed operation are presented, including various loss components, rotor dynamic and vibration, and thermal aspects. Overall, three-phase PM machines have no self-starting issues, and exhibit high power density, high efficiency, high critical speed, together with low vibration and noise, which make them a preferred choice for high-performance, high-speed applications

Design and Multi-physical Fields Analysis of High Speed Permanent Magnet Machines

Due to the advantages of high power density, high efficiency and compact size, high speed permanent magnet machines (HSPMMs) have found wide application in industrial areas. Compared with a conventional speed permanent magnet machine, a HSPMM rotor can reach speeds of more than 10,000 rpm, which brings challenges with regard to electromagnetic, thermal and mechanical aspects of machine design. The higher power density also results in larger power loss per unit volume; due to the small machine size, machine thermal dissipation becomes difficult. Moreover, air frictional loss rises dramatically when the rotor is in high speed operation and this may also further increase rotor temperature. Therefore, research into HSPMM power losses and improving machine thermal dissipation capability is of significant interest. HSPMM mechanical issues also need to be considered to ensure safe and reliable machine operation. As rotor speeds rise, rotor strength becomes prominent and critical as the permanent magnets are vulnerable to the large centrifugal force. In addition, the machine rotor should also have enough rigidity and avoid operating at critical speeds. As such, this dissertation focuses on HSPMM design and research. Multi-physical fields analysis of a HSPMM is carried out to calculate machine power losses and temperature distribution, with factors influencing machine performance considered; HSPMM rotor mechanical research and analysis are also carried out and presented in this study. Firstly, the HSPMM design methodology and process are illustrated with machine rotor parameters, PM material, pole numbers and rotor sleeve considered for a 150 kW, 17000 rpm HSPMM. Then, HSPMM performance for different machine stator structures and PM pole arc pole pitches is investigated using the Finite Element Method (FEM) for the machine operating at both no load and full load conditions; HSPMM electromagnetic performance and how it is impacted by machine parameters is also studied. HSPMM power losses are comprehensively investigated in the following chapter. As machine core loss can be significantly increased with increasing machine frequency, it is critical to accurately estimate HSPMM iron loss. Based on the machine iron core magnetic field variation that is obtained by FEM analysis, machine steel iron core loss estimation for HSPMM is performed using an improved method with the influences of alternating and rotating magnetic fields, as well as harmonics effects, considered for high precision. Then the HSPMM air gap magnetic flux density distribution considering machine stator slotting effect is also analytically calculated with its effectiveness verified by FEM results. Then rotor eddy current loss is studied by time-stepping FEM, while the effects of rotor sleeve dimensions and properties, copper shielding composite rotor structure, air gap length, as well as slot opening width are further researched in depth. A PM bevelling method is also proposed and investigated to reduce HSPMM rotor eddy current loss while having little effect on machine output torque. Then a fluid field analysis is carried out to study HSPMM rotor air frictional loss when the rotor is in high speed operation. According to the characteristics of a machine axial forced air cooling system, the HSPMM temperature distribution is investigated by 3-D fluid–thermal coupling CFD modelling with the calculated power losses results. The machine thermal analysis theory and modelling method are also detailed and further explained. HSPMM thermal performance variation due to impacting factors of cooling air velocity, rotor eddy current loss and sleeve thermal conductivity are also comprehensively investigated and studied in this dissertation. The designed HSPMM is prototyped, and temperature experimental tests are also carried out to verify the effectiveness of the research and analysis for HSPMM. Then, thick-walled cylinder theory is introduced to study rotor mechanical strength analytically, while it also verifies the FEM calculation results. Then based on FEM analysis, HSPMM rotor stress distribution is investigated with sleeve material effects on rotor strength discussed. In order to alleviate the rotor sleeve stress, three pole filler materials are comparatively studied, while the temperature impacts on rotor mechanical stress is further considered; sleeve thickness and the interference between PM and sleeve are investigated in an integrated fashion for HSPMM rotor strength analysis, with some conclusions also drawn for HSPMM rotor mechanical design. HSPMM rotor critical speeds are also calculated by the established 3D rotor dynamic analysis FEM model to ensure the rotor is operating in a desirable condition

Comparison of interior permanent magnet synchronous machines for a high-speed application

Permanent Magnet machines have been increasingly used in high-speed applications due to the advantages they offer such as higher efficiency, output torque and, output power. This dissertation discusses the electrical and magnetic design of permanent magnet machines and the design and analysis of two 10 kW, 30000 rpm Interior Permanent Magnet (IPM) machines. This dissertation consists of two parts: the first part discusses high-speed machine topologies, and in particular the permanent magnet machine. Trends, advantages, disadvantages, recent developments, etc. are discussed and conclusions are made. The second part presents the design, analysis and testing of interior permanent magnet machines for a high-speed application. The machines are designed from first principles and are simulated using Ansys Maxwell software to understand the finite element analysis. In order to obtain a fair comparison between the machines, the required output criteria was used as the judging criteria (10kW, 30000 rpm). As a result, the rotor diameter, stator diameter, airgap length, and stack length were kept the same for both machines. The winding configuration was set as distributed windings, however the number of turns and other details were kept flexible in order to be able to obtain the best design for each machine. Similarly, the magnet volume was kept flexible as this could be used as a comparison criteria relating to the cost of the machines. The two IPM topologies are compared with respect to their torque, magnetic field, airgap flux, core loss, efficiency, and cost. The radial IPM produces a smoother torque output, with lower torque ripple, and has lower losses compared to the circumferential IPM which produces a higher torque and power output. Furthermore, the circumferential IPM also experiences much higher torque ripple and core losses, both of which are highly undesirable characteristics for high-speed machines. In addition, the circumferential IPM has a much more complex manufacturing process compared to the radial IPM which would significantly increase the cost of prototyping the machine, thus the radial IPM was selected for prototyping and brief experimental analysis. The radial IPM has been experimentally tested under no-load conditions. These results were successfully compared to the simulated and analytical results to show correlation between the design and experimental process. Potential areas of further work may include conducting detailed loss analysis to understand the effects that changing various design parameters has on the core loss and overall performance. Detailed thermal and mechanical analysis of the machines may also result in interesting conclusions that would alter the design of the machine to make it more efficient

Design, analysis and prototyping of a high speed surface mounted permanent magnet machine

Over the recent years, there has been a rise in the demand for high speed and high power density machines for various applications in industry ranging from basic household power tools to the flight controls for aircrafts in the aerospace sector. This has also seen advancements in the power electronics and controls for these machines to deal with the large operating frequencies. The increase in demand for high speed machines has been driven by the industry’s requirement for cost reductions, higher robustness & higher efficiencies. This thesis aims to contribute knowledge to the design and development of a high-speed surface mounted permanent magnet machine. A numerical procedure for the detailed sizing of a high-speed surface mounted permanent magnet (SPM) machine is outlined in this dissertation. An analytical per phase model is formulated to examine the performance parameters of the machine. The analytical model is validated against results obtained from Ansys Electromagnetics Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software. The estimation of core losses in high-speed machines is also of critical importance during electromagnetic design. An immense amount of research has been conducted on the estimation of core losses in machines, however, not much has been done to cover the estimation of highspeed core losses as compared to the traditional low-speed machines. As part of the development of the high-speed machine, the numerical estimation of the highspeed core losses was examined and validation performed using FEA software. On average, there was a difference of about 3-11% between the analytical results and FEA results of the eddy current loss and hysteresis loss. These results demonstrate that the analytical method used to estimate core losses is reasonably accurate when compared to FEA results obtained from ANSYS Maxwell. The prototyping of a high-speed surface mounted permanent magnet machine is investigated. Focus is placed on the major components of the machine whilst highlighting the use of precision machining and the need to maintain high accuracy during manufacturing and assembly of the machine prototype

Design of a high speed high power switched reluctance motor

PhD ThesisAn increase in the price of rare earth materials in 2009 prompted research into alternative motor technologies without permanent magnets. The SRMs have become more of an attractive solution as they are relatively simpler to construct than other machines technologies hence cost effective. Furthermore, the rugged structure of the rotor makes it suitable for high speed operation, if appropriately designed. This thesis investigates the design, analysis and prototype manufacture of an SRM, that from electromagnetic point of view, meets the power output of the PM machine used in the Toyota Prius, although operating at a higher speed of 50,000 rpm. As a result, the required torque is considerably less than an equivalent motor with the same output power running at lower speed, hence this approach allows for much smaller frame sizes. To achieve the required torque, careful choice of stator/rotor tooth combination, coil number of turns and number of phases is needed. Running at high speed, increases the AC copper loss (consisting of skin effect and proximity effects) and iron loss. These shortcomings are extensively discussed and investigated. The mechanical design of this motor requires careful consideration in order to minimise the high mechanical stresses acting upon the rotor, which are due to the high radial forces caused by the centripetal force at high speed. In order to address the mechanical constraints caused by the hoop stress, a structure common to flywheels is applied to the rotor. In this approach, the shaft bore is removed and the laminations are sandwiched together using cheek plates, which are secured using tie rods. The cheek plates have their extending shafts, which consequently will transfer the torque to the rest of the system. The proposed model is analysed for both the electromagnetic and mechanical aspects, successfully demonstrating a promising rotor topology for the design speed. A high speed motor design needs to take into account shaft design, rotor design and bearing design. The high speed operation of the salient rotor gives dramatic rise to the windage loss. These factors are carefully considered in this work and the results are presented