Performance Analysis of a Coreless Permanent Magnet Brushless Motor

Jacek F. Gieras, Fellow, IEEE

United Technologies Research Center 411 Silver Lane East Hartford, CT 06108, U.S.A. e-mail: jgieras@snet.net

Izabella A. Gieras, Member, IEEE

Beaumont Services Company 3601 West Thirteen Mile Road Royal Oak, MI 48073-6769, U.S.A. e-mail: igieras@bsc-rscservices.com

Abstract. The paper deals with a new disk type PM brushless motor consisting of only stator (armature) winding and permanent magnet (PM) excitation system. No stator and rotor ferromagnetic cores have been used. To obtain the required value of the magnetic flux density in the air gap, PMs have been arranged in the so called Halbach array. The FEM analysis has been done to prove that in a double sided motor with internal stator (twin PM rotor embracing a coreless stator), the peak value of the magnetic flux density can exceed 0.6 T. This is a sufficient value to design a high power density machine. A low speed 10 kW motor has approximately 1% higher efficiency and provides 82% more output power per kilogram than its cylindrical counterpart with a ferromagnetic core.

First disk type PMBMs without stator and rotor core have already been manufactured for servo mechanisms and industrial electromechanical drives [4] as well as solar powered electrical vehicles [7]. The goal of the paper is to discuss the main features of coreless PMBM topology, magnetic field distribution in the air gap, approach to calculations of the performance, cost analysis and evaluation of this new emerging technology.
A 1 2 2 3 3 1 A-A

Key words - permanent magnets; brushless motors; coreless design; analysis; performance; cost. I. INTRODUCTION Until recently, the stator and rotor assemblies of PM brushless (or synchronous) motors (PMBMs) have included laminated steel cores. Progress in the technology of disk rotor machines with axial magnetic flux allows for obtaining better steady state and transient performance [1,3,5,7,8]. With the availability of high energy PMs that kind of PMBM topology has revealed a new significant feature the disk type stator and rotor can be designed without ferromagnetic cores [4,7]. It leads to the reduction of mass and increase in the efficiency of the machine at the same output power or shaft torque. The electromagnetic torque developed by that machine is dominated by the current -magnet interaction instead of the current-iron interaction. Besides this, a coreless PMBM does not produce any normal force between the stator and rotor at zero current state and torque pulsations are practically nonexistent. There is a limit on the increase of the motor torque that can be achieved by enlarging the motor diameter. Factors limiting the single disk design are: (a) axial force taken by bearings, (b) integrity of mechanical joint between the disk and shaft, and (c) disk stiffness [3]. A reasonable solution for larger torques are double or tripple disk motors.

4 6

Figure 1: Disk type coreless PMBM: 1 coreless stator (armature) winding, 2 PMs, 3 twin rotor, 4 shaft, 5 bearing, 6 frame.

(a)

(b)

Figure: 2. Segmental construction of a coreless PMBM: (a) single module (segment), (b) three-module assembly.

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II. TOPOLOGY AND CONSTRUCTION The axial flux PMBM without any ferromagnetic core is shown in Fig. 1. The disk type motor consists of a twin rotor (3) with rare earth PMs (2) and nonmagnetic supporting structure. The steel-free stator (armature) winding (1) is located between two identical parts of the rotor. The stator polyphase winding fixed to the frame (6) is assembled as flower petals [4]. Copper coil petals are arranged in overlaping layers around the center of the machine. The whole winding is then embedded in a high mechanical integrity plastic. The coreless motor designed as a segmental (modular) machine is shown in Fig. 2. The output (shaft) power can easy be adjusted to any desired level by adding more modules. To obtain a high power (or high torque) density motor, the magnetic flux density in the air gap should be as high as possible. This can be achieved by using a special arrangement of PMs, the so-called Halbach array (Fig. 3) . The key concept of the Halbach array is that the magnetization vector should rotate as a function of distance along the array. In practice, the angle between magnetization vectors of adjacent magnets is 90, 60 or 450 (Fig. 3).
900

Figure 4: Normal and tangential components of the flux density in the air gap for 450 PM Halbach array.

III. AIR GAP MAGNETIC FLUX DENSITY Fig. 4 shows the results of the FEM modeling of the magnetic field in the air gap of a coreless electric brushless motor. NdFeB magnets with remanent flux density Br = 1.2 T and coercivity Hc = 950 kA/m have been considered. The thickness of each PM has been assumed 6 mm, the coreless stator winding thickness 10 mm and one-sided air gap thickness equal to 1 mm. With the aid of Halbach array a high peak value (over 0.6 T) of the normal component of the magnetic flux density has been excited. This value is sufficient to obtain a high torque. The peak value of the flux density can be even higher when the magnetic circuit of a PMBM is optimized. In practice, 600 and 450 Halbach arrays produce similar peak flux density. The peak value of the normal component of the magnetic flux density is much higher than that in a standard arrangement of PMs when the ferromagnetic yoke is removed. Even if a back iron is added to the double-sided PM structure with large nonmagnetic gap, the flux density is not as high as in the case of Halbach array excitation.

600

450

IV. ELECTROMAGNETIC TORQUE AND EMF The tangential force acting on the disk can be calculated on the basis of Amperes equation, i.e., dFx = I (dr Bg) = A(r) (dS Bg) (1)

Fig. 3. Arrangement of the twin rotor PMs into 900, 600, and 450 Halbach array.

where I is the stator (armature) equivalent current, I dr = A(r) dS, A(r) = Am(r)/2, dr is the radius element, dS is the surface element, and Bg is the vector of the normal component (perpendicular to the disk surface) of the air gap magnetic flux

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density at given radius r. The peak value of the stator line current density (electric loading) is

where the torque constant

The number of phases is m1 and the number of turns per phase is N1. The electromagnetic torque developed by the disk motor on the basis of eqn (1) can be found as

m 2 N1I Am (r ) = 1 r

kT =
(2)

m1 pN1k w1 f 2

(10)

The EMF at no load (open circuit EMF) can be found by differentiating the first harmonic of the magnetic flux waveform f1 = f sin( t) and multiplying by the effective number of turns per phase N1 kw1, i.e.,

dTd = rdFx

= r [k

w1

A(r ) Bavg

dS ]
(3)

e f = N1k w1

d f 1 dt

= 2fN1kw1 f cos(t )

(11)

= 2k w1 i A(r ) Bmg r 2 dr

where Bavg = i Bmg is the average value of the air gap flux density, i = 2/ for sinusoidal magnetic field in the air gap, kw1 is the winding factor for fundamental, and dS = 2 r dr. It has been assumed that the air gap flux density Bmg is independent of the radius. Putting eqn (2) into (3)

The rms EMF is obtained by dividing the peak value (2 fN1 kw1f ) by 2, i.e.,

E f = 2 fN1k w1 f = 2 pN1k w1 f ns = k E ns k E = 2 pN1k w1 f

(12) where the speed ns = f /p (rev/s) and the EMF constant (13)

dTd = 2 i m1IN1kw1Bmg rdr

(4)

Integrating the above eqn (4) from the inner magnet radius Din/2 to the outer magnet radius Dout/2
2 2 Td = 0.25 i m1 IN1 k w1 Bmg ( Dout Din ) 2 2 = 0.25 i m1 N1k w1Bmg Dout (1 k d )I

TABLE I. DESIGN DATA AND CALCULATED PARAMETERS OF A THREE-PHASE, 10-kW, 750 rpm DISK TYPE PMBM WITH IRONLESS STATOR CORE.

(5)

where

kd =

Din Dout

(6)

is the ratio of inner Din to outer Dout diameters. The magnetic flux per pole pitch is

f = i

0.5 Dout

Bmg

0.5 Din

rdr
2 2 Bmg Dout (1 kd ) p
(7)

= 0.125 i

Combining eqns (7) and (5)

Td = 2

m1 N1k w1 f I

(8)

To obtain the rms torque for sinusoidal current and sinusoidal magnetic flux density, eqn (8) must be multiplied by the coefficient 2/4 1.11, i.e.,

Td =

m1 pN1k w1 f I = kT I 2

(9)

Design data Output power, W Pout = 10,000 Speed, rpm n = 750 Number of phases m1 = 3, (Wye) Input current, A I = 28.4 Input frequency, Hz f = 100 Number of stators (modules) 2 Number of pole pairs, p=8 Number of coils (3 phases) 24 Number of turns per phase 100 (one module) Coil pitch, 1 slot Wire diameter, mm 6 1.2 Axial thickness of PM, mm hM = 6 Axial thickness of the winding, mm tw = 10 Air gap (one side), mm g=1 Air gap magnetic flux density under load, T Bmg = 0.58 Current density, A/mm2 4.175 Din / Dout ratio [5] kd = 1/ 3 Rotor outer diameter, mm Dout = 360 Winding packing factor at r = 0.5 Din kfill = 0.65 Winding temperature, 0C 75 Cooling system Natural Class of insulation F

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V.

MOTOR DESIGN
torque, Nm; current, A; voltage, V
200 200

A low speed, three-phase, Y-connected disk type PMBM rated at 10 kW, 750 rpm, 28.5 A has been considered. The rotor does not have any ferromagnetic core and consists of trapezoidal coils embedded in a high mechanical integrity resin. Average quality NdFeB PMs with Br 1.2 T and Hc 950 kA/m have been used. The double-disk construction is similar to that shown in Fig. 2b. The design data and calculated parameters are given in Table I. All parameters except for the air gap magnetic flux density Bmg and synchronous reactance Xs have been calculated analytically. The magnetic flux density Bmg and synchronous reactance Xsd = Xsq = Xs has been calculated using the 2D FEM. The resistance R1 = 0.175 and synchronous reactance Xs = 0.609 per phase are given for two stator modules connected electrically in series. The EMF constant kE = 5.013 Vs and torque constant kT = 2.394 Nm/A have been calculated for one stator segment.

T sh n k

( ) I (n k) V s ( n k)
0

150

V1

100

50

0 0

10

12

14 14

nk speed, rev/s

Fig. 6. Shaft torque, current and phase voltage versus speed.

(a)
400

The current density 4.175 A/mm2 in the stator winding at rated load is low and a totally enclosed motor can even operate without any fan. The recommended current density for enclosed a.c. motors with class F of insulation rated up to 10 kW is from 4.5 to 7 A/mm2 [2]. Since the topology shown in Figs 1 and 2 does not use any ferromagnetic material, the motor is cogging (detent) torque free and the hysteresis and eddy current losses are practically reduced to zero. The only eddy current losses are losses in the stator metallic parts (if exist) which reinforce the winding structure. VI. PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS

400

T sh ( I) V 1L( I) P w ( I) P add ( I) P m

300

200

100

A.
1 0 0 0 10 20 30 40 40

Motoring mode

(b)
1.05 1

current, A

The calculated characteristics are shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The maximum-to-rated current ratio for torque-speed characteristic shown in Fig. 6 is 1.3. For the torque speed characteristic (Fig. 6) the voltage increases linearly up to approximately rated speed and then is kept constant. The efficiency of the disk type coreless PMBM is 1.2 % higher (0.925 versus 0.914) and power density (output power to mass of active materials) is 82% higher (444.25 W/kg versus 243.55 W/kg) because the mass of active materials is 45% lower than that of and equivalent cylindrical motor with ferromagnetic core. At zero current state the normal forces between the stator and rotor do not exists. However, the normal forces between the rotor PM disks are large. B. Generating mode

( I) pf ( I )
0.9

0.8 0.75 0 0 10 20 30 40 40

current, A
Fig. 5. Calculated performance characteristics of a 10 kW coreless PMBM according to Table 1.: (a) shaft torque Tsh, line-to-line voltage V1L, winding losses Pw, additional losses Padd, and mechanical losses Pm versus stator current at n = 750 rpm = const; (b) efficiency and power factor pf versus stator current at n = 750 rpm = const.

The open circuit characteristic, i.e., EMF (line-to-line) as a function of speed is shown in Fig. 7. This characteristic is linear. The current-speed characteristic for generating mode at the load impedance ZL = 1 + j0.628 is shown in Fig. 8.

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EMF (line-to-line), V

250

250
output power

1 .10 10000

8000

200

E fL n i

( ) 100
150 50 0 0 0 0 5 10 15 15

( ) P gin(n i)

P gout n i 6000
4000 2000 0 0 0 0 5 10 15 15

ni speed, rev/s

ni speed, rpm

Fig, 10. Ouput power Pgout and input power Pgin for generating mode.

efficiency; pwer factor

Fig. 7. Open circuit characteristic: line-to-line EMF versus speed.

1.05

g ni pfg n i

( )
0.5

50

50 40

( )
0

current, A

I out n i

( )
0

30 20 10 0 0 0 5 10 15 15

0 0

10

15 15

ni speed, rpm

ni speed, rev/s

Fig. 11. Efficiency g and power factor pfg for generating mode.

Fig. 8. Current versus speed for generating mode.

VI. COST ANALYSIS The cost model has been presentend in [3]. Average prices of materials for electrical machines construction are as follows: sheet steel cFe = 1.25 $/kg, isolated copper conductor (magnet wire) cCu = 5.51 $/kg, NdFeB PMs cPM = 65 $/kg and steel bar for shaft csteel = 2.6 $/kg. The active materials are conductors, sheet steel and PMs. The total volume of the steel bar to the volume of shaft is 1.94. The coefficient taking into account the cost of machining of the shaft is 2.15. The cost of labor involved in the assembly of active parts has not been estimated.
TABLE II. MASS AND COST OF COMPONENTS OF A DISK TYPE CORELESS PMBM MOTOR RATED AT 10 kW, 750 rpm.
Item Winding Stator plastic material PMs Shaft Frame, end bells, and bearings Components independent of the machine shape Total Mass, kg 10.13 1.01 12.38 5.48 Cost 55.84 7.09 804.53 59.45 165.00

200

200 150

voltage, V

V 1L n i

( )
0

100 50 0 0 0 5 10 15 15

ni speed, rev/s

Fig. 9. Line voltage versus speed for generating mode.

The line voltage versus speed is shown in Fig. 9, output and input active power in Fig. 10, and efficiency and power factor in Fig. 11. The voltage is a nonlinear function of speed. For inductive load (RL) the power factor decreases as the speed increases.

22.51 (active parts)

140.00 1231.92

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TABLE III. MASS AND COST OF COMPONENTS OF CYLINDRICAL PMBM WITH LAMINATED CORE RATED AT 10 kW, 750 rpm.
Item Winding Core PMs Shaft Frame, end bells, and bearings Components independent of the machine shape Total Mass, kg 8.51 30.98 1.57 5.72 Cost 46.9 72.49 102.05 62.07 165.00

IX. CONCLUSION The analysis and the FEM simulation have shown the advantages of coreless disk type PMBMs in terms of performance and mass of active materials. They have higher efficiency and power density in comparison with conventional PM machines with laminated cores. A 10 kW coreless motor is about 45% lighter and has 82% higher power density than its laminated counterpart. These new types of machines are cogging torque free. Owing to lack of ferromagnetic cores the hysteresis and eddy current losses do not exist. High cost of manufacturing limits commercial applications of coreless PMBMs to small size machines, special servo drives, airborne apparatus (lightweight construction) and electromechanical drives where the cogging torque ripple and normal forces must be reduced to zero. The question Is the ferromagnetic core in PM brushless motors necessary ? can now be answered as follows: No, it is not necessary, but the high cost of manufacturing is temporarily against the mass production of coreless motors. REFERENCES
[1] A.A. Afonin and P. Cierzniewski, Electronically commutated disc-type permanent magnet brushless motors (in Russian), Int. Conf. UEES.99, St Petersburg, Russia, 1999, pp. 271-276. [2] M. Dabrowski. Design of a.c. electrical machines (in Polish), Warsaw, WNT, 1988. [3] J.F. Gieras and M. Wing, Permanent magnet motors technology: design and applications, 2nd ed., Marcel Dekker, New York, 2002. [4] R. Kessinger and S. Robinson, SEMA-based permanent magnet motors for high-torque, high-performance, Naval Symp. on Electr. Machines, Newport, RI, U.S.A., 1997, pp. 151-155. [5] L. Klug, Synchronous servo motor with a disc rotor (in Czech), Electrotechnicky Obzor, vol. 80, 1991, No. 1-2, pp. 1317. [6] M. Lukaniszyn, R. Wrobel, E. Mendrela, and R. Drzewoski, Towards optimization of the disc-type brushless d.c. motor by changing the stator core structure, ICEM2000, Espoo, Finland, 2000, pp. 1357-1360. [7] V.S. Ramsden, B.C. Mecrow, and H.C. Lovatt, Design of an in-wheel motor for a solar-powered electric vehicles, EMD97, London, 1997. [8] B. Sidelnikov and P. Szymczak, Areas of applications and appraisal of control methods for disc motors (in Polish), Prace Nauk. IMNiPE, Techn. Univ. of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland, No. 48, Studies and Research No 20, 2000, pp. 182-191.

41.06 (active parts)

140.00 588.51

Table II lists the mass and cost of components of the 10 kW, 750 rpm ironless motor of disk construction. Table III lists the mass and cost of components of the equivalent cylindrical motor with laminated stator and rotor cores. Components independent of the machine shape are encoder, terminal leads, terminal board, and name plate. The coreless 10 kW PMBM costs $1231.92 (PMs cost $804.53) while a classical PMBM of cylindrical construction with the same ratings costs only $588.51 (PMs cost $102.05). The contribution of PMs to the total costs of an ironless motor is predominant. VIII. COMPARISON WITH CYLINDRICAL MOTOR WITH LAMINATED STATOR AND ROTOR CORES The cost of materials and components of the disk type 10 kW coreless PMBM is 109.3% higher than that of a cylindrical motor with laminated core. On the other hand, the cost of tooling will be much lower as a coreless motor does not require stamping and stacking tools.
TABLE IV. COMPARISON OF PARAMETERS AND PERFORMANCE OF 10 kW, 750 rpm PMBMs
Parameter Ironless disk type 227.6 131 92.5 0.991 0.58 Cylindrical with core 220.0 133 91.4 0.96 0.78

Input voltage (line-to-line), V Shaft torque, Nm Efficiency, % Power factor Air gap magnetic flux density, T Stator winding current density, A/mm2 Stator winding resistance per phase at 750C, Synchronous reactance, Mass of PMs, kg Mass of active materials, kg Power density (only active materials), W/kg

4.175 0.173 0.609 12.38 22.51 444.25

4.247 0.037 0.758 1.57 41.06 243.55

Cost excluding labor, U.S.$

1231.92

588.51

Table IV compares the design data and performance of 10 kW, 750 rpm ironless disk type PMBM and equivalent 10 kW, 750 rpm PMBM with laminated stator and rotor cores. In both two motors the number of phases is 3, number of poles is 2p = 16, and input frequency is 100 Hz.

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