Design and feature investigation of an IPM motor dedicated to propulsion applications

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to the design and feature investigation of an interior permanent magnet synchronous machine (IPMSM) dedicated to propulsion applications.

Design/methodology/approach

The design approach as well as the performance investigation of the studied machine are based on a two‐dimensional finite element analysis. This latter is extended to a comparison study with other rotor topologies.

Findings

It has been found that the studied IPMSM offers higher performances than the usual PM machine topologies. This highlights the fact that the rotor design greatly affects the performance of PM machines.

Research limitations/implications

Many continuations of the developed works shall be treated in the future, such as: an optimization of the IPMSM design, an extension of the optimization to the machine‐inverter association, and a validation of the foreseen performance by experiments carried out on a prototype of the IPMSM.

Practical implications

The machine under study could be integrated in electric propulsion applications especially as a wheel‐mounted motor.

Originality/value

The paper treats the design and performance investigation of a new topology of IPM machines. It is a five‐phase concentrated winding synchronous machine with permanent magnet buried in an outer rotor.

Citation

Bouzidi, I., Masmoudi, A. and Bianchi, N. (2013), "Design and feature investigation of an IPM motor dedicated to propulsion applications", COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering, Vol. 32 No. 1, pp. 126-141. https://doi.org/10.1108/03321641311293786