This paper presented an optimization and material enhancement framework for improving the efficiency of a 1 HP Permanent Split Capacitor (PSC) motor toward IE2/IE3 efficiency classes. The proposed approach integrated Design of Experiments (DOE) using the Taguchi method with loss-based analysis to investigate the influence of key design parameters, including stator stack height, capacitor value, and silicon steel grade on PSC motor efficiency. Taguchi L8 and L9 orthogonal arrays were applied to evaluate parameter interactions and identify dominant factors affecting motor performance. To enhance predictive capability, a Response Surface Methodology (RSM) model was developed based on experimental data to establish the relationship between design variables and motor efficiency within the investigated operating range. The resulting efficiency map was used to identify high-efficiency operating regions and support practical PSC motor design evaluation. Experimental validation under multi-load operating conditions confirmed that the optimized motor achieved an efficiency improvement from 76.1% to 80.4% (4.6% absolute increase), with less than 2% deviation between simulation and experimental results. The optimized motor also demonstrated improved operating behavior across varying speed and load conditions while maintaining practical operating stability. The proposed framework provided a practical and simplified approach for PSC motor efficiency improvement under the investigated operating conditions and offers an alternative to computationally intensive optimization approaches for industrial motor applications.

Large diameter axial ventilation fans are widely used in poultry houses to regulate ai flow, temperature, and air quality. However, conventional induction motors driving these fans typically operate at fixed speed and suffer efficiency degradation under low speed, high torque conditions due to slip induced rotor copper losses. This study presents an experimental investigation of a manufacturing constrained conversion of a commercial induction motor platform into a direct drive surface permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). Instead of developing a completely new motor design, the proposed approach reuses the existing stator lamination, housing structure, and winding production process while redesigning the rotor electromagnetic structure to incorporate surface-mounted permanent magnets. Experimental testing was conducted using a dynamo meter based measurement system to evaluate the performance of both the commercial induction motor and the converted PMSM prototype. The results show that the commercial induction motor exhibits significant efficiency degradation at high torque due to increased slip, whereas the PMSM eliminates slip dependent rotor copper losses and maintains efficiencies above 88% within the typical ventilation operating range of 650-750 rpm. The study further relates airflow demand to rotational speed using fan affinity laws, highlighting the cubic relationship between speed and input power and demonstrating the energy-saving potential of variable speed PMSM drives. The proposed conversion framework therefore provides a practical pathway for improving the energy efficiency of agricultural ventilation systems while maintaining compatibility with existing motor manufacturing infrastructure.

Large-diameter axial ventilation fans are widely used in poultry houses to regulate ai flow, temperature, and air quality. However, conventional induction motors driving these fans typically operate at fixed speed and suffer efficiency degradation under low-speed, high-torque conditions due to slip-induced rotor copper losses. This study presents an experimental investigation of a manufacturing constrained conversion of a commercial induction motor platform into a direct-drive surface permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). Instead of developing a completely new motor design, the proposed approach reuses the existing stator lamination, housing structure, and winding production process while redesigning the rotor electromagnetic structure to incorporate surface-mounted permanent magnets. Experimental testing was conducted using a dynamo meter-based measurement system to evaluate the performance of both the commercial induction motor and the converted PMSM prototype. The results show that the commercial induction motor exhibits significant efficiency degradation at high torque due to increased slip, whereas the PMSM eliminates slip-dependent rotor copper losses and maintains efficiencies above 88% within the typical ventilation operating range of 650–750 rpm. This study further relates airflow demand to rotational speed using fan affinity laws, highlighting the cubic relationship between speed and input power and demonstrating the energy-saving potential of variable-speed PMSM drives. The proposed conversion framework therefore provides a practical pathway for improving the energy efficiency of agricultural ventilation systems while maintaining compatibility with existing motor manufacturing infrastructure.

This paper presents a physics-guided optimization and material enhancement framework for improving the efficiency of a 1 HP Permanent Split Capacitor (PSC) motor toward IE2/IE3 standards. The proposed approach integrates Design of Experiments (DOE) using the Taguchi method with loss modeling to enable both parameter-level and material-level optimization. Key design variables, including stator stack height, capacitor value, and silicon steel grade, are systematically analyzed using Taguchi L18 and L9 orthogonal arrays and explicitly linked to electromagnetic loss components, including copper, core, and mechanical losses, enabling physically interpretable optimization. To enhance predictive capability, a Response Surface Methodology (RSM) model is developed based on experimental data to establish a continuous relationship between design variables and motor efficiency. The results are further represented as an efficiency map, which identifies high-efficiency operating regions and supports scalable design exploration toward IE4 performance. Experimental validation under multi-load conditions confirms that the optimized motor achieves an efficiency improvement from 76.1% to 80.4% (4.6% absolute increase), with less than 2% deviation from simulation results. The proposed method offers a low-complexity and cost-effective alternative to conventional FEA-based approaches and is suitable for practical industrial applications. Furthermore, the framework is scalable and provides a pathway toward IE4-level efficiency through integration of advanced materials, thermal considerations, and multi-objective optimization.