Development of PM Transverse Flux Motors With Soft Magnetic Composite Cores

Compared with the conventional fixed speed drive, a major factor that handicaps the wide acceptance of variable speed drive with high efficiency permanent magnet (PM) motors is its high cost. This paper presents an effort to reduce the material and manufacturing costs of PM motors by using the soft magnetic composite (SMC), and the highly matured powder metallurgic technology. Because the SMC's magnetic properties are quite different from that of the traditional silicon steel sheets, special efforts have been made on measurement and modelling of vectorial magnetic properties, electrical machine topologies, and drive schemes in order to make the best use of the material. Various PM SMC motors of transverse flux topologies have been designed, fabricated, and tested. The detailed results are presented and discussed.