Detent Force Minimization of a Tubular Flux-Switching Permanent Magnet Motor Using Un-Equal Width Stator Slots Based on Taguchi Method

The detent force caused by the cogging effect and end effect will seriously affect the operation of a tubular flux-switching permanent magnet motor (TFSPMM). This paper proposes a method to weaken the end effect and minimize the detent force and force ripple of a TFSPMM using un-equal width stator slots. To overcome the problem of excessive calculation, the Taguchi method is performed to find the optimal combination of stators with unequal slot width. The proposed method can significantly decrease the detent force and force ripple and keep the thrust force basically unchanged. The permanent magnet flux linkage, detent force and electromagnetic force are calculated by the two dimensional (2D) finite element method (FEM).