Cogging Torque Minimization in Transverse Flux Machines

This paper presents the design considerations in cogging torque minimization in two types of transverse flux machines. The machines have a double stator-single rotor configuration with flux concentrating ferrite magnets. One of the machines has pole windings across each leg of an E-Core stator. Another machine has quasi-U-shaped stator cores and a ring winding. The flux in the stator back iron is transverse in both machines. Different methods of cogging torque minimization are investigated. Key methods of cogging torque minimization are identified and used as design variables for optimization using a design of experiments (DOEs) based on the Taguchi method. A multilevel DOE is proposed as an optimization method to reach an optimum solution with minimum simulations. The case study is analyzed in a two-level DOE optimization. Finite element analysis (FEA) is used to study the different effects. Two prototypes are fabricated for validating the FEA results.