Torque Calculation of Permanent-Magnet Spherical Motor Based on Permanent-Magnet Surface Current and Lorentz Force

Due to the complex spatial magnetic field distribution and the variable motion mode, the torque analysis of spherical motors is usually carried out by the finite-element method (FEM) with a large amount of calculation and time consumption. In order to improve analysis efficiency, this article proposes a spherical motor torque calculation method based on the permanent-magnet surface current model and Lorentz force, aiming to replace the finite-element calculation. First, the equivalent surface current analytical expression of the rectangular permanent-magnet magnetic field is derived. Then, this expression is used to establish the 3-D magnetic field analytical model of Halbach array permanent magnets in the rotor. Based on this magnetic field, the Lorentz force of the energized stator coil is calculated. Then, the electromagnetic torque generated by the rotor is analyzed. Finally, the analytical results of the magnetic field and the motor torque are compared with those by the FEM and experiments, verified that, under the premise of ensuring the calculation accuracy, the proposed method effectively shortens the calculation time and has higher stability.