Design of Variable-Flux Permanent Magnet Machines for Traction Application

Traction electrification is contributing to the supply shortage and price surge of rare-earth permanent magnets (RE-PMs) such as NdFeB alloys. The study of RE-free motors is an open challenge for electrical engineers and material scientists, especially in the automotive sector. One of the promising solutions is to use REfree permanent magnets, such as AlNiCo- or FeN-based alloys. These materials offer high remanence but low coercivity, allowing the demagnetization and re-magnetization of the magnets during the motor operation. The aim of the thesis is to study the design of Variable-Flux Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (VF-PMSM) suitable for seamless regulation of the PM magnetization state during operation. The thesis work will be integrated in a wider research project on VF-PMSM, in cooperation with Volvo Cars and a PhD student from PoliTO and co-founded by Volvo Cars. The work will be developed inside the design environment SyR-e (https://github.com/SyR-e/syre_public) the open-source design and simulation framework developed in Matlab from PEIC members. At the moment, SyR-e covers standard, constant magnetization PMSMs.

Further information in the attached document.

2023_Thesis_Variable-FluxPMSM (653.65 kB)

Contacts:

Prof. Gianmario Pellegrino (gianmario.pellegrino@polito.it)
Simone Ferrari (simone.ferrari@polito.it)