Influence of Rotor Design on Electromagnetic Performance in Interior Permanent Magnet Machines

Nowadays, Interior Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines (IPMSM) are widely adopted in various sectors such as automotive, railway or public transportation (e- buses, trams, etc.). Among the benefits that these machines present, they offer a number of design degrees of freedom. Furthermore, they can operate over a wide speed range, with a good flux weakening capability. One of the main challenges is to define a complete geometrical parametrization, in order to identify an optimal structure that satisfies the design requirements. In this paper, a detailed analysis of the rotor structure is carried out looking at understanding the effects of the geometrical parameters on key performance indexes (e.g. flux density harmonic content, torque capability, torque ripple, etc.). Based on the preliminary analysis, an optimization procedure is implemented for the design of a Nabla-shaped rotor to satisfy the electromechanical performance of a case study traction motor. The results are showing how an optimal machine can be designed with a reduced amount of permanent magnet, by optimizing the rotor structure.