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Recent Technical Developments in Electric Motor Drives

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Recent Technical Developments in Electric Motor Drives

A wide variety of applications may be found for electric motor drives and controllers.

There are several uses for electric motor drives in robots and rolling mills, as well as electric

trains, elevators, subway systems, ventilation, hand tools, and air conditioning and

ventilation, among others. Electrical power generated by motor loads accounts for the

greatest proportion of total consumption. Motor drives made up 48% of the US industrial

sector's overall electricity usage in 2017 (Jahns & Dai, 2017). AC/DC converter inverters are

increasingly used to drive motors in order to meet the variable speed and torque control

requirements of today's machines. Higher efficiency, greater dependability, and better

performance can all be achieved using inverter-driven motor drives. In order to control high-

performance electric motor drives and systems, digital signal processors are needed (Jahns &

Dai, 2017). Advanced drive and control technology is becoming increasingly crucial as a

result of this development There has been little change in the architecture and technology of

EMDs for decades. That is no longer the case. The development of new electric motors is

being fuelled by a number of factors. Therefore, this paper will focus on the most recent

developments in electric motor drives.

Power Density and Efficiency

Besides torque, efficiency and power density are important factors in the performance

of motors. It is critical for electric airplanes and cars to improve their power-to-weight ratio

while retaining robust efficiency in order to lower the battery size required (De Almeida,

Ferreira, & Baoming, 2013). When it comes to peak power (kW/kg), power density plays an

important role. This includes Focused Magnetic, Linear Labs, YASA and Magnax's efforts to

increase power density. Copper savings of 30 percent can be achieved by omitting the end

windings from the motor designed by Linear Labs (to reduce unproductive volume) (De
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Almeida, et al., 2013). This Halbach version of electromagnetic array has been developed by

Focused Magnetics, a firm in initial stages of business to maximize efficiency and power

decrease losses. Two companies, YASA and Magnax, have both developed extremely

efficient and easily manufactured the axial flux motors which were historically difficult to

produce.

Thermal Management

Thermal limits limit the performance of motors in propulsions systems that are largely

electrically dominant, resulting in drive systems with higher-power duty cycles. Direct

cooling can be more efficient because to new motor designs that enable cooling units to

acquire essential elements (Mohan, Dwivedi, & Pathak, 2018). Moreover, the designs save

waste and eliminate the need for thermal control. Improved cooling is essential to ensuring

that a machine can run at full capacity for an extended period of time without experiencing

overheating or shutting down (Mohan et al., 2018). With a near-lossless torque output and

passive cooling, C-Motive Technologies' electrostatic motor is a game changer. Dielectric oil

cooling is used in YASA's controller to keep the temperature under control. The Equipmake

APM 200 motor's spoke design allows for liquid cooling to be placed closer to vital

components, resulting in a higher level of continuous power.

Axial Flux

One of the most promising new motor technologies is axial flux. In an axial flux

motor, the magnetic flux is aligned with the axis of rotation (compared to perpendicular in

radial flux machines). Axial flux motors provide significant advantages over radial flux

motors, which are nearly universal in the EV industry (Mohan et al., 2018). A pancake form

factor and higher power and torque density are two of these advantages. We've noticed a lot
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of interest in the technology despite a lack of acceptance in the past. Axis flux motors will be

used in Daimler's future AMG electric platform and Renault's hybrids starting in 2025 thanks

to the acquisition of YASA and WHYLOT (Mohan et al., 2018). Over the next 10 years,

axial flux in automotive EVs is expected to grow significantly, with early use in high-

performance vehicles and perhaps hybrid applications.

Integration

For ultra-compact layouts, high power-to-weight ratios, and weight and cost savings,

it is ideal to integrate the motor with power electronics and transmission. Vibration and

dependability difficulties, as well as the prohibitive expense of developing a completely new

axle, have previously stymied integration efforts (Liu, 2018). An integrated friction brake is

also part of the motor features of the Protean Electric in-wheel motor features, which include

digital controls and power electronics that support cloud-based and AI applications. IoT

connectivity and improved manufacturing have been achieved by integrating motor and

control circuits into a single PCB stator (Liu, 2018). Volabo's motor has a power electronic

and integrated motor, as well as a virtual gearbox, all in one piece. The coreless axial-flux

motors’ stators are printed on PCBs using a cloud-based CAM/CAD platform.

Switched Reluctance Motor (SRM)

This is a DC brushless motor that generates constant torque with a switching

reluctance motor (SRM). Together, the motor and SRM electronic drive make a powerful,

tightly integrated system. Compared to induction motors, the SRM offers a feasible

alternative and enhancement in variable-speed applications. Gear (2021) points out that,

"Reluctance switches have been in use since the 1800s. This technology has been prioritized

in the current developed motors due to the commercial viability of computing and power

electronics. Permanent magnet technology is expected to be incorporated into NEMA's Motor

Generator (MG-1) Section in the future (Gear, 2021). The SRM design relies heavily on the

amount and type of copper wire. The SRM design allows for a huge stator slot, therefore the

coils nest together to fill it. Copper is a critical component of our coils. Engineers often wind

electric motors with copper since it has a lower electrical resistance than aluminum. Winding

resistance has a direct impact on the motor's efficiency and operating temperature by

lowering the amount of heat that is dissipated (Gear, 2021). The SRM employs a coil

constructed from smaller strands of copper wire roped into a rectangular shape and then

molded into an S-shape known as Litz wire (Gear, 2021). As a result, the conductor has a

reduced skin effect, which means that the current migrates from inside to outside of the

conductor, resulting in a higher resistance.

Permanent Magnet Motors

Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PM) have long been utilized in servo motor

applications, but they are now becoming more common in industrial motor driven systems.

Powerful permanent magnets made from rare earth elements are used to replace the

aluminum bars in the rotor of the PM motor technology (IPM) (Gear, 2021). In a permanent

magnet motor, the basic stator resembles that of a traditional induction motor that is wound

with copper. However, manufactures glue permanent magnets to the rotor’s surface or bar

magnets in the rotor laminations. Manufacturers of motors have proven that permanent

magnet designs can produce benefits of 1.5 to 2% over a Premium Efficient AC induction

motor (Gear, 2021). In the majority of situations, these benefits cannot be realized without

also using a variable speed drive in conjunction with the PM motor (VSD) (Gear, 2021). With

less copper than a comparable AC induction model, the permanent magnet motor nonetheless

relies on copper to operate more efficiently.

The permanent magnet motor is power dense it terms of horsepower and torque

produced by the motor in relation to its size physically. As a result, manufacturers are now

incorporating frame adapters to compensate for the shaft height change. Companies have

come up with a solution to this problem by designing permanent magnet motors to fit into the

same IEC and NEMA AC frame sizes of induction motor (Gear, 2021). Toyota Prius and

Chevy Volt utilize permanent magnet motors in their hybrid and electric automobiles today.

Because permanent magnet motors can function at rapid speeds without using the gears to

increase speed, which can be inefficient, compressor makers are beginning to incorporate

them into their products."

References

De Almeida, A. T., Ferreira, F. J., & Baoming, G. (2013). Beyond induction motors—

Technology trends to move up efficiency. IEEE transactions on industry

applications, 50(3), 2103-2114. Retrieved from

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_Technology_trends_to_move_up_efficiency/links/5440f1bb0cf2ebb036906488/

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Gear, L. (2021). Emerging Electric Motor Technologies for the EV Market. IDTechEx.

Retrieved from [Link]

electric-motor-technologies-for-the-ev-market/24839

Jahns, T. M., & Dai, H. (2017). The past, present, and future of power electronics integration

technology in motor drives. CPSS Transactions on Power Electronics and

Applications, 2(3), 197-216. Retrieved from

[Link]

Liu, C. (2018). Emerging electric machines and drives—An overview. IEEE Transactions on

Energy Conversion, 33(4), 2270-2280. Retrieved from

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5bb2383a92851ca9ed339d6a/Emerging-Electric-Machines-and-Drives-An-

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Mohan, H., Dwivedi, S. K., & Pathak, M. K. (2018, December). Control of induction motor

drives–technological advancements. In 2018 8th IEEE India International

Conference on Power Electronics (IICPE) (pp. 1-8). IEEE. Retrieved from

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