In this paper, the optimal design of a brushless direct current motor with a three-dimensional (3D) structure using the response surface methodology (RSM) is presented. There were two optimization goals: reduction of the cogging torque and maintenance of the back electromotive force to prevent performance degradation. For motors with a 3D structure, a 3D finite element method analysis is essential, though it requires considerable computation time. Therefore, to reduce the optimal design time, the 3D structure was placed on the 2D plane. Thereafter, a 2D corrected model was applied to the RSM. For the validity of the technique, the analysis results of the initial 3D model, 2D model, and 2D corrected model were compared, and the results of the optimal design 3D model, 2D corrected model, and experiment were compared.

In contrast to internal combustion engine vehicles, electric vehicles (EVs) obtain the power required for the compressor of air conditioning system from an electric source. Therefore, an optimal design for electric motor, the main component of an electric compressor, is essential for improving EV mileage. A multi-objective optimal design is required because the characteristics of the motor are in a trade-off relationship with each other. When the finite element method (FEM) is used, multi-objective optimal designs for the motor take a significant amount of time because of the diversity analyses required for the optimal-model search. To solve this problem, in this study, a multi-objective optimal design method of an SPMSM for an EVs air conditioner system compressor was proposed and applied using the NSGA-II and an analytical method. The validity of the proposed method was confirmed by comparing the characteristics of the optimal design model with those of the initially designed model.

In this study, the characteristic analysis of a permanent magnet synchronous generator was performed using the analytical method, and the validity of the analytical method was compared with that of the finite element method (FEM). For the initial design, the rotor size was selected using the torque per rotor volume method, and the stator size was selected according to the saturation of the stator iron core. In addition, fast Fourier transform analysis was performed to determine the appropriate magnet thickness point, and it was confirmed that the open circuit and armature reaction magnetic flux densities were consistent with the FEM analysis results. Based on the analytical method, the generator circuit constants (phase resistance, back EMF, and inductance) were derived to construct an equivalent circuit. By applying the equivalent circuit method to the derived circuit constants, the accuracy of the equivalent circuit method was confirmed by comparing the FEM and experimental results.

In this study, we performed the electromagnetic and mechanical characteristic analyses of an 8-pole 12-slot interior permanent magnet synchronous motor (IPMSM). Permanent magnet synchronous motors are classified into surface permanent magnet synchronous motor and interior permanent magnet synchronous motors according to the type of rotor. The IPM type is advantageous for high-speed operation because of the structure where the permanent magnet is embedded inside the rotor, and it has the advantage of having a high output density by generating not only the magnetic torque of the permanent magnet, but also the reluctance torque. However, such a motor has more vibration/noise sources than other types, owing to changes in reluctance. The sources of motor noise/vibration can be broadly classified into electromagnetic, mechanical, and aerodynamic sources. Electromagnetic noise sources are classified into electromagnetic excitation sources, torque pulsations, and unbalanced magnetic forces (UMFs). Vibration and noise cause machine malfunctions and affect the entire system. Therefore, it is important to analyze the electromagnetic vibration source. In this study, the electromagnetic characteristics of an IPMSM were analyzed through the finite element method to derive the UMF. Vibration and noise analyses were performed by electromagnetic–mechanical coupling analysis, and vibration and noise characteristics based on electromagnetic noise sources were analyzed.

In this study, electromagnetic noise sources of permanent magnet synchronous motors with 8-pole 9-slot and 12-slot fractional slot concentrated windings were analyzed through finite element analysis, and the radiated noise/vibration levels were compared through structural-acoustic analysis. In addition, the stability of the rotational shaft generated vibration was analyzed. Electromagnetic noise sources are classified into cogging torque, torque ripple, and unbalanced magnetic force. The effect of electromagnetic noise sources on vibration/noise was analyzed in the frequency domain through the electromagnetic-mechanical coupling analysis. The noise level was compared to the electromagnetic noise source characteristics for each frequency using the waterfall diagram, and additional vibration due to mechanical resonance was analyzed using critical speed analysis while taking the rotor's bearing stiffness into account.

This paper is about the magnetic field analysis of an interior permanent magnet motor (IPM motor) by using the equivalent magnetic circuit method (EMC method), which requires a small amount of computation time compared with the finite element method (FEM). IPM motors have a specific shape of rotor in which the permanent magnets are embedded. Therefore, in the bridge region, the magnetic saturation is generated due to the shape of the permanent magnet, which affects the magnetic flux density distribution in the air gap and the characteristics of the IPM motor. Thus, to design an IPM motor, the magnetic saturation effects should be considered along with the rotor shape. In addition, because the rotor of the IPM rotates at a high speed directly in connection with the load, the stress generated from the rotor must be stably distributed. Consequently, according to the rotor shape characteristics of the IPM, the stress is concentrated in the thin bridge region during high-speed rotation. When the stress generated in the bridge region exceeds the yield stress of the rotor iron core material, the bridge part is destroyed. Therefore, it is important to analyze the stress that occurs in the rotor during high-speed rotation in the rotor design stage of the IPM. In this study, we analyzed the magnetic field characteristics of an IPM motor using its equivalent magnetic circuit while considering the magnetic saturation in the bridge region. The stability of the rotor was determined by presenting a safety factor based on the maximum stress generated at the rotor for each speed. We derived the stator natural frequency to evaluate the resonance possibility between the electrical frequency and the stator natural frequency. Finally, the validity of the constructed equivalent magnetic circuit was verified by comparing the results with those obtained via the FEM analysis and experiments.