AXIAL FLUX PERMANENT MAGNET BRUSHLESS MACHINES

Jacek F. Gieras, Rong-Jie Wang and Maarten J. Kamper

Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston-Dordrecht-London, 2004

TABLE OF CONTENETS
page

Preface v

1. Introduction 1
1.1. Scope 1
1.2. Features 1
1.3. Development of AFPM machines 3
1.4. Types of axial flux PM machines 4
1.5. Topologies and geometries 6
1.6. Axial magnetic field excited by PMs 10
1.7. PM eddy-current brake as the simplest AFPM brushless machine 13
1.8. AFPM machines versus RFPM machines 16
1.9. Power limitation of AFPM machines 19
Numerical examples 19

2. Principles of AFPM machines 27

2.1. Magnetic circuits 27
2.1.1. Single-sided machines 27
2.1.2. Double-sided machines with internal PM disc rotor 27
2.1.3. Double-sided machines with internal ring-shaped core stator 29
2.1.4. Double-sided machines with internal slotted stator 31
2.1.5. Double-sided machines with internal coreless stator 32
2.1.6. Multidisc machines 33
2.2. Windings 33
2.2.1. Three-phase windings distributed in slots 35
2.2.2. Drum-type winding 35
2.2.3. Coreless stator winding 37
2.2.4. Salient pole windings 37
2.3.Torque production 38
2.4. Magnetic flux 40
2.5. Electromagnetic torque and EMF 41
2.6. Losses and efficiency 42
2.6.1. Stator winding losses 42
2.6.2. Stator core losses 44
2.6.3. Core loss finite element model 46
2.6.4. Losses in permanent magnets 46
2.6.5. Rotor core losses 48
2.6.6. Eddy current losses in stator conductors 49
2.6.7. Rotational losses 50
2.6.8. Losses for nonsinusoidal current 51
2.6.9. Efficiency 51
2.7. Phasor diagrams 52
2.8. Sizing equations 55
2.9. Armature reaction 58
2.10. AFPM motor 62
2.10.1. Sine-wave motor 62
2.10.2. Square-wave motor 63
2.11. AFPM synchronous generator 67
2.11.1. Performance characteristics of a stand alone generator 67
2.11.2. Synchronization with utility grid 68
Numerical examples 70

3. Materials and fabrication 81

3.1. Stator cores 81
3.1.1. Non-oriented electrical steels 81
3.1.2. Amorphous ferromagnetic alloys 85
3.1.3. Soft magnetic powder composites 85
3.1.4. Fabrication of stator cores 89
3.1.4.1. Fabrication of laminated stator cores 89
3.1.4.2. Fabrication of soft magnetic powder stator cores 90
3.2. Rotor magnetic circuits 91
3.2.1. PM materials 92
3.2.2. Characteristics of PM materials 98
3.2.2.1. Alnico 98
3.2.2.2. Ferrites 99
3.2.2.3. Rare-earth permanent magnets 100
3.2.3. Operating diagram 103
3.2.4. Permeances for main and leakage fluxes 106
3.2.5. Calculation of magnetic circuits with PMs 110
3.2.6. Fabrication of rotor magnetic circuits 112
3.2.6.1. Halbach array 114
3.3. Windings 115
3.3.1. Conductors 115
3.3.2. Fabrication of slotted windings 116
3.3.3. Fabrication of coreless windings 117
Numerical examples 119

4. AFPM machines with iron cores 127

4.1. Geometries 127
4.2. Commercial AFPM machines with stator ferromagnetic cores 128
4.3. Some features of iron-cored AFPM machines 130
4.4. Magnetic flux density distribution in the air gap 130
4.5. Calculation of reactances 133
4,5.1. Synchronous and armature reaction reactances 133
4.5.2. Stator leakage reactance 133
4.6. Performance characteristics 137
4.7. Performance calculation 137
4.7.1. Sine-wave AFPM machine 137
4.7.2. Synchronous generator 141
4.7.3. Square-wave AFPM machine 143
4.8. Finite element calculations 144
Numerical examples 146

5. AFPM machines without stator cores 157

5.1. Advantages and disadvantages 157
5.2. Commercial coreless stator AFPM machines 157
5.3. Performance calculation 159
5.3.1. Steady-state performance 159
5.3.2. Dynamic performance 161
5.4. Calculation of coreless winding inductances 163
5.4.1. Classical approach 163
5.4.2. FEM approach 164
5.5. Performance characteristics 166
5.6. Eddy current losses in the stator windings 168
5.6.1. Eddy current loss resistance 168
5.6.2. Reduction of eddy current losses 171
5.6.3. Reduction of circulating current losses 173
5.6.4. Measurement of eddy current losses 174
5.7. Armature Reaction 176
5.8. Mechanical design features 178
5.8.1. Mechanical strength analysis 179
5.8.1.1. Attraction force between rotor discs 179
5.8.1.2. Optimum design of rotor discs 180
5.8.2. Imbalanced axial force on the stator 182
5.9. Thermal problems 184
Numerical examples 184

6. AFPM machines without stator and rotor cores 195

6.1. Advantages and disadvantages 195
6.2. Topology and construction 195
6.3. Air gap magnetic flux density 198
6.4. Electromagnetic torque and EMF 199
6.5. Commercial coreless AFPM motors 200
6.6. Case study: low-speed AFPM coreless brushless motor 202
6.6.1. Performance characteristics 202
6.6.2. Cost analysis 204
6.6.3. Comparison with cylindrical motor
with laminated stator and rotor cores 205
6.7. Case study: low-speed coreless AFPM brushless generator 206
6.8. Characteristics of coreless AFPM machines 208
Numerical examples 211

7. Control 219
7.1. Control of trapezoidal AFPM machine 219
7.1.1. Voltage equations 220
7.1.2. Solid-state converter 222
7.1.3. Current control 225
7.1.4. Speed control 228
7.1.5. High speed operation 229
7.2. Control of sinusoidal AFPM machine 230
7.2.1. Mathematical model and $dq$ equivalent circuits 230
7.2.2. Current control 236
7.2.3. Speed control 237
7.2.4. Hardware of sinusoidal AFPM machine drive 241
7.3. Sensorless position control 243
Numerical examples 245

8. Cooling and Heat Transfer 257

8.1. Importance of thermal analysis 257
8.2. Heat transfer modes 257
8.2.1. Conduction 258
8.2.2. Radiation 258
8.2.3. Convection 259
8.2.3.1. Convection heat transfer in disc systems 260
8.3. Cooling of AFPM machines 263
8.3.1. AFPM machines with self-ventilation 263
8.3.1.1. The ideal radial channel 263
8.3.1.2. The actual radial channel 266
8.3.1.3. Characteristics 269
8.3.1.4. Flow and pressure measurements 270
8.3.2. AFPM machines with external ventilation 272
8.3.2.1. External fans 272
8.3.2.2. Heat pipes 274
8.3.2.3. Direct water cooling 275
8.4. Lumped parameter thermal model 276
8.4.1. Thermal equivalent circuit 276
8.4.2. Conservation of energy 278
8.5. Machine duties 279
8.5.1. Continuous duty 279
8.5.2. Short-time duty 279
8.5.3. Intermittent duty 280
Numerical examples 281

9. Applications 289
9.1. Power generation 289
9.1.1. High speed generators 289
9.1.2. Low speed generators 291
9.2. Electric vehicles 293
9.2.1. Hybrid electric vehicles 294
9.2.2. Battery electric vehicles 298
9.3. Ship propulsion 300
9.3.1. Large AFPM motors 300
9.3.2. Propulsion of unmanned submarines 301
9.3.3. Counterrotating rotor marine propulsion system 302
9.4. Electromagnetic aircraft launch system 303
9.5. Mobile drill rigs 305
9.6. Elevators 308
9.7. Miniature AFPM brushless motors 311
9.8. Vibration motors 313
9.9. Computer hard disc drives 315
Numerical examples 316

Symbols and Abbreviations 321

References 331
Index 336