This paper reports the design of a magnetic-geared permanent magnet synchronous motor (MG-PMSM) for a 45 kW tram traction system based on high torque density. In the case of the existing tram driving system, due to mechanical reduction gear and induction motor, it causes power transmission loss, low efficiency, and difficulty in lightweight. To solve this problem, research on the MG-PMSM, which combines a contactless magnetic gear with a high-power-density PMSM, is being actively conducted. This motor has a double rotor structure, and the inner rotor, including permanent magnet, and the outer rotor composed of pole-pieces rotate at different mechanical speeds. However, it is hard to design a tram driving system with a high torque density within limited conditions, because only one rotor in MG-PMSM is used as an output. In addition, there is no study conducted from basic design to final design, including gear ratio and topology selection in MG-PMSM for tram. Therefore, this paper presents the design process of MG-PMSM with high torque density to be applied to the 45 kW–class tram driving system. After designing the magnetic gear part that increases torque and efficiency by selecting an appropriate topologies-and-gear ratio that meets the constraints, the final finite elements method (FEM) model and electromagnetic field analysis results were derived by considering the number of poles and the number of slots. Through this, we confirmed that it is superior in output characteristics compared to the existing induction motor + mechanical gear.

With increasing worries about the environment, there is a rising focus on saving energy in various industries. In the e-mobility industry of electric motors, permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) are widely utilized for saving energy due to their high-efficiency motor technologies. However, challenges like environmental degradation from rare earth development and difficulties in controlling magnetic field fluctuations persist. To address these issues, active research focuses on the wound field synchronous motor (WFSM), known for its ability to regulate field current efficiently across various speeds and operating conditions. Nevertheless, compared with other synchronous motors, the WFSM tends to exhibit relatively lower efficiency and torque density. Because the WFSM involves winding both the rotor and the stator, it results in increased copper and iron losses. In this article, a model that enhances torque density by inserting permanent magnets (PMs) into the rotor of the basic WFSM is proposed. This proposed model bolsters the d axis magnetic flux, thereby enhancing the motor’s overall performance while addressing environmental concerns related to rare-earth materials and potentially reducing manufacturing costs when compared with those of the PMSM. The research methodology involves a comprehensive sensitivity analysis to identify key design variables, followed by sampling using optimal Latin hypercube design (OLHD). A surrogate model is then constructed using the kriging interpolation technique, and the optimization process employs a micro-genetic algorithm (MGA) to derive the optimal model configuration. The algorithm was performed to minimize the use of PMs when the same torque as that of the basic WFSM is present, and to reduce torque ripple. Error assessment is conducted through comparisons with finite element method (FEM) simulations. The optimized permanent-magnet-assisted WFSM (PMa-WFSM) model improved efficiency by 1.08% when it was the same size as the basic WFSM, and the torque ripple decreased by 5.43%. The proposed PMa-WFSM derived from this article is expected to be suitable for use in the e-mobility industry as a replacement for PMSM.

Electric power steering (EPS) motors require low torque ripple, low cogging torque, and smooth torque output to ensure precise control and driving comfort. However, consequent pole permanent magnet synchronous motors (CP-PMSMs), although advantageous in reducing permanent magnet usage, exhibit an imbalanced magnetic flux distribution due to the iron poles, resulting in even-order harmonic components in the back electromotive force (BEMF) and significant torque ripple. In this paper, a rotor pole arrangement for CP-PMSMs is proposed to improve torque characteristics for EPS applications. Symmetric and asymmetric pole arrangements are introduced to modify the magnetic flux distribution and suppress harmonic components generated by the iron poles. In addition, the iron pole arc ratio is selected as a key design variable and analyzed for each model to achieve low torque ripple while maintaining torque performance. The electromagnetic characteristics of the proposed structures are evaluated using finite element analysis under identical operating conditions. The results show that the torque ripple of the proposed models is reduced by approximately 33.3%p and 34.1%p compared with the conventional CP-PMSM, and the cogging torque is also significantly reduced. Although average torque decreases, overall torque characteristics improve due to reduced torque ripple and harmonic components. These results demonstrate that the proposed rotor pole arrangement effectively enhances torque quality in CP-PMSMs without increasing axial length or requiring three-dimensional analysis.

Motors are among the most energy-consuming devices worldwide. With growing interest in eco-friendly solutions, minimum efficiency regulations for industrial motors are being enforced. In response to continuously rising minimum efficiency requirements, research on improving the efficiency of motors is actively underway. In the case of induction motors, which are the most widely used industrial electric motors, rotor ohmic loss occurs due to their operating characteristics. In contrast, line-start synchronous reluctance motors (LS-SynRMs) have a significant advantage in efficiency because once they reach synchronous speed, no eddy currents are generated by the fundamental current waveform. This leads to a sharp decrease in rotor ohmic losses, greatly enhancing efficiency. In this paper, a rotor design is carried out to improve the efficiency of LS-SynRMs. To support the rotor design, the torque characteristics of LS-SynRMs were analyzed under both asynchronous and synchronous state operations, and improvement directions for enhancing efficiency were identified. For rotor type selection, two bar-type rotors with linear flux barriers and two boomerang-type rotors with curved flux barriers were designed. The electromagnetic characteristics of these designs were compared using finite element analysis. Among them, the boomerang-type rotor that exhibited the best electromagnetic performance was selected as the final rotor type. Its final geometry was derived through detailed design, considering the mechanical safety of the rotor. Finally, experimental validation was conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed rotor design.