SYNCHRONE RELUCTANCE MACHINE WITH VARIABLE AIR GAP

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a rotating electrical machine, in particular a synchro-reluctant electrical machine (assisted by permanent magnets), and more particularly concerns a variable air gap of such a machine, which operates with a bus delivering a preferably direct voltage and which allows a high rotation speed.

[0002] Typically, such an electrical machine has a stator and a rotor arranged coaxially within each other.

[0003] The rotor of a permanent magnet-assisted synchronous-reluctant electric machine is usually formed from a rotor body with a stack of laminations placed on a rotor shaft. These laminations include housings for permanent magnets and perforations to create flux barriers to direct the magnetic flux from the magnets radially toward the stator and to promote the creation of a reluctant torque.

[0004] This rotor is generally housed inside a stator which carries electrical windings to generate a magnetic field to drive the rotor in rotation.

[0005] As best described in patent application WO2016188764, the rotor includes a plurality of axial recesses that extend right through the laminations.

[0006] A first series of axial recesses, arranged radially one above the other and at a distance from each other, form housings for magnetic flux generators, here permanent magnets in the form of a rectangular bar.

[0007] However, it has been found that back EMF harmonics and torque ripple are significant in this type of permanent magnet assisted reluctance synchronous machine.

[0008] This can cause jolts and vibrations in the rotor, making it uncomfortable to use this machine.

[0009] Document EP 2 463 988 A2 describes the sinusoidal variable thickness air gap.

[0010] CN206775356U describes the sinusoidal magnetic field in the air gap, which can reduce torque ripple and electromagnetic noise. In addition, CN208174384U describes a recess in the surfaces of a rotor, which can reduce motor torque ripple. However, these electrical machines are not optimized for a wide range of rotational speeds.

[0011] Generally, we observe that electrical machines are optimized with a minimum air gap to promote torque or with a larger air gap to promote high-speed efficiency.

[0012] The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks listed above, and in particular to change the shape of the air gap in order to seek both the maximum torque performance at low speed of a machine with a small air gap and the power performance at high rotational speed of a machine with a large air gap. The device according to the invention

[0013] The present invention relates to an electrical machine according to claim 1.

[0014] According to one embodiment, each magnetic pole comprises three asymmetrical flux barriers which are an external flux barrier, a central flux barrier and an internal flux barrier. Each flux barrier comprises two inclined recesses positioned on either side of each axial recess. The two inclined recesses form between them an opening angle which corresponds to the angle between two straight lines each passing through the center of the rotor and through a midpoint positioned at an external face of the respective recesses of each flux barrier and said flux barriers have substantially a V shape with a flattened bottom.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the initial phase shift is directly deduced from the opening angles of the flux barriers.

[0016] According to one embodiment, said number p of pairs of magnetic poles is between 2 and 9, preferably between 3 and 6, and preferably has a value of 4.

[0017] According to one embodiment, said rotor comprises a contact surface with said air gap, substantially cylindrical, with variable radius and said stator comprises a contact surface with said air gap, substantially cylindrical, with constant radius.

[0018] According to one embodiment, said air gap has a thickness of between 0.4 mm and 1 mm and the average thickness of said air gap is preferably equal to 0.6 mm.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the rank of the predetermined harmonic is an even integer.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the rank of the predetermined harmonic is 2 or 14 or a combination of these harmonics.

[0021] According to one embodiment, said electric machine is of the synchro-reluctant electric machine type, preferably comprising 3 magnets in each magnetic pole. List of figures

[0022] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of non-limiting examples of embodiment, with reference to the figures appended and described below. There figure 1 illustrates an electrical machine of the art of technology. The figure 2 illustrates an electrical machine of the art of technology. The figure 3 illustrates the variable air gap according to one embodiment of the invention. The figure 4 illustrates an example of the variation of the air gap as a function of the mechanical position. The figure 5 illustrates an example of the variation of the air gap as a function of the electrical position. The figure 6 illustrates the variation of the average torque as a function of rank h of the harmonic and the phase shift Δ i . There figure 7 illustrates the ripple of the average torque as a function of rank h of the harmonic and the phase shift Δ i . There figure 8illustrates the variation of maximum power as a function of rank h of the harmonic and the phase shift Δ i . There figure 9 illustrates the variation of maximum power at maximum rotation speed, here 14,000 rpm as a function of rank h of the harmonic and the phase shift Δ i . There figure 10 illustrates the variation of rotor losses at 70kW at maximum rotation speed, here 14,000 rpm as a function of rank h of the harmonic and the phase shift Δ i . Detailed description of the invention

[0023] The present invention relates to an electrical machine, in particular an electrical machine of the synchro-reluctant type assisted by permanent magnets. In the remainder of the description, an electrical machine of the synchro-reluctant type assisted by permanent magnets is described, however the invention relates to all types of electrical machines assisted by permanent magnets, with internal rotor.

[0024] As generally known in the art of technology, such an electric machine is shown by way of example and in a non-limiting manner in the figures 1 and 2 The electrical machine is composed of a rotor 1, which comprises, in a manner known per se, a shaft (not shown), preferably magnetic, on which is mounted a stack of sheets 3. Advantageously, these sheets 3 are flat, identical, rolled ferromagnetic and circular in shape and are assembled to each other by any known means. The sheets 3 may comprise a central bore (not shown) crossed by the rotor shaft and a plurality of axial recesses 6, 8 which pass right through the sheets 3.

[0025] A first series of axial recesses 6, arranged radially one above the other and at a distance from each other, form housings for magnetic flux generators, here permanent magnets 7, preferably in the form of a bar. The axial recesses 6 can substantially form trapezoids. However, the axial recesses 6 can take other shapes, in particular rectangular, square, etc. shapes.

[0026] A second series of recesses consists of perforations of inclined direction 8 relative to the radial direction, which start from the axial recesses 6 to arrive in the vicinity 12 of the edge of the sheets 3, that is to say at the level of an air gap of the electrical machine.

[0027] The inclined perforations 8 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the recesses 6 of the magnets 7 so as to form each time a geometric figure substantially in the shape of a V with a flattened bottom, with the flat bottom formed by the housing 6 of the magnets 7 and with the inclined arms of this V formed by the inclined perforations 8. The inclined perforations 8 form flux barriers. The magnetic flux coming from the magnets 7 can then only pass through the solid parts of the sheets 3 between the recesses. These solid parts are made of a ferromagnetic material.

[0028] Rotor 3 shown on the figure 1 comprises p pairs of magnetic poles (or 2xp magnetic poles), a magnetic pole being formed of the three recesses 6 for the magnets on the same radial direction, and the associated flux barriers (9, 10, 11).

[0029] From the number p of pairs of poles, we define a polar pitch P. Expressed in degrees, the polar pitch can be determined by a formula of the type: P = 360 2 × p

[0030] For the example illustrated on the figure 1 , the rotor 1 comprises eight magnetic poles (p = 4), the pole pitch P is therefore 45°. Each magnetic pole is composed of three permanent magnets 7 positioned in the three axial recesses 6 provided to house the permanent magnets 7. The rotor 1 is also composed of three flux barriers, including an external flux barrier 9 (associated with the external recess 6, i.e. closest to the periphery of the rotor 1), a central flux barrier 10 (associated with the central recess 6) and an internal flux barrier 11 (associated with the internal recess 6, i.e. closest to the center of the rotor 1).

[0031] As illustrated on the figure 2, the electrical machine further comprises a stator 15. The stator 15 has a circular internal location for the rotor 1. The stator 15 also has notches 14 into which magnetic flux generators (not shown) are inserted, in particular electric coils.

[0032] As seen on the figures 1 and 2, each flux barrier (9, 10, 11) comprises two inclined perforations which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the housings of the magnets 7 for each magnetic pole. Thus, each time a geometric figure is formed substantially in the shape of a V with a flattened bottom with the flat bottom formed by the housing 7 and with the inclined arms of this V formed by the inclined perforations. For each flux barrier (9, 10, 11) of each magnetic pole there will correspond an opening angle (θ1, θ2, θ3) which will qualify the opening of the V shape. These opening angles correspond to the angle between two straight lines each passing through the center C of the rotor 1 and through a midpoint M positioned at an external face 12 of the inclined radial direction perforations 8 of each flux barrier. This external face 12 is located at the periphery of the rotor 1, at a mechanical air gap of the electrical machine as will be seen in the remainder of the description.

[0033] The invention is characterized by a variable air gap, not constant depending on the mechanical position (the mechanical position being the angular position at the air gap), as illustrated in the figure 3 . There figure 3 illustrates, in a schematic and non-limiting manner, the elements constituting the electrical machine around the air gap 18. It is possible to distinguish an electrical machine, comprising a rotor 1 and a stator 15, the rotor 1 comprising p pairs of magnetic poles each comprising a magnetic pole axis and an air gap 18 which defines a space between the rotor 1 and the stator 15, said air gap 18 having a non-constant radial thickness. The particularity of the invention consists in defining the thickness e 0 ( θ m ) of the air gap 18 by the following formula: e 0 θ m = e 0 , moyen + Δ e 2 cos p ∗ θ m ∗ h + Δ θ

[0034] In this formula: θ m : is the mechanical position of said air gap 18, e 0, average: is the average thickness of said air gap 18, Δ e : is the maximum variation of said air gap 18, p : is the number of pole pairs, h : is the rank of the predetermined harmonic, Δ i : is the initial radial phase shift between the axis of a magnetic pole and the point of maximum amplitude of the sinusoidal function.

[0035] The mechanical position θ m of the air gap 18 is the angular position along the path of the air gap 18. The mechanical position θ m is measured in degrees and can vary between 0° and 360°.

[0036] The dimension of the air gap 18 is the difference between the internal radius of the stator 15 and the external radius of the rotor 1.

[0037] The average thickness e 0 ,average of the air gap 18 is a design and construction parameter of the electrical machine. The average thickness e 0 ,averageof the air gap 18 is measured in mm and is determined as the average integrated in all mechanical positions θ m between 0° and 360° between the smallest thickness of the air gap 18, at a mechanical position θ m where stator 15 and rotor 1 are closest and thickest, at another mechanical position θ m where stator 15 and rotor 1 are furthest apart. The average thickness e 0 ,average is represented on the figure 4 .

[0038] The maximum variation Δ e of the air gap 18 is measured in mm and is determined as the difference between the smallest thickness of the air gap 18, at a mechanical position θ m where stator 15 and rotor 1 are closest and thickest, at another mechanical position θ m where stator 15 and rotor 1 are furthest apart from each other.

[0039] The maximum variation Δe of the air gap 18 is represented on the figure 3 . The maximum variation Δe of the air gap 18 is also visible on the figure 4 by observing the peaks, which, in a variant of this realization, are at 0.9mm.

[0040] The initial radial phase shift Δ i is measured in degrees and is determined as the angle between the axis of a magnetic pole (which passes through the center of rotor 1) and the radius of rotor 1 passing through the closest point of maximum variation Δe. The initial radial phase shift Δ i is represented on the figure 3 .

[0041] THE figure 4 And 5 represent an example of the variation of the air gap 18 as a function of the mechanical position and respectively of the electrical position ( the = p * θ m). For example, we can see the shape of the air gap as a function of the mechanical and electrical position for a machine with 4 pairs of poles, considering the 6th harmonic and a phase shift of 65°.

[0042] According to one embodiment of the invention, each magnetic pole of the electrical machine can be composed of at least three magnets 7 positioned in axial recesses 6. This embodiment is illustrated in the figures 1, 2 and partially on the figure 3 . On the figure 1 , we can distinguish the three magnets 7 positioned, for example, in axial recesses 6 forming substantially trapezoids and having at least two parallel faces, these faces being substantially located on tangents centered on the center of the rotor 1. On the figure 3we can distinguish an axial recess 6 with substantially radial faces, along the sides of the trapezoids. Each substantially radial face comprises a point of contact and centering of the magnet 7 and, on each side of this point of contact, two curved sections. These two curved sections are preferably in the form of an arc of a circle or more advantageously in the form of a drop of water and the two curved sections are preferably shorter than each other.

[0043] According to one embodiment of the invention, each magnetic pole of the electrical machine may comprise three asymmetrical flux barriers which compose each magnetic pole including an external flux barrier 9, a central flux barrier 10 and an internal flux barrier 11. As illustrated in the figure 1, each flow barrier 9, 10, 11 comprises two inclined recesses 8 positioned on either side of each axial recess 6. The two inclined recesses 8 form between them an opening angle (θ1, θ2, θ3) which corresponds to the angle between two straight lines each passing through the center C (represented on the figure 1 ) of rotor 1 and by a midpoint M (represented on the figure 1 ) positioned at an external face 12 of the respective recesses 8 of each flux barrier 9, 10, 11. Said flux barriers have substantially a V shape with a flattened bottom. The flux barriers play an important role in guiding magnetic fluxes.

[0044] According to one embodiment of the invention, the initial phase shift Δ i can be directly deduced from the opening angles (θ1, θ2, θ3) of the flux barriers 9, 10, 11. Indeed, the initial phase shift Δ i , as illustrated on the figure 3, is a parameter which depends directly on the design choices of the electrical machine and primarily on the geometry of the flux barriers.

[0045] According to one embodiment of the invention, said number p of pairs of magnetic poles may be between 2 and 9, preferably between 3 and 6, and is preferably 4. On the figures 1, 2 And 3 we find an electric machine having 4 magnetic poles. However, the invention can be applied to any number of pairs of poles desired.

[0046] According to one embodiment of the invention, the rotor 1 may comprise a contact surface with said air gap 18 (i.e. a surface delimiting the air gap on the rotor side), substantially cylindrical, with variable radius. Here, the variation of the air gap is illustrated on the figure 4. According to this embodiment, said stator 15 comprises a contact surface with said air gap 18, substantially cylindrical, with a constant radius. In other words, the variation of the thickness of the air gap can be achieved by means of a rotor whose external radius is not constant.

[0047] According to one embodiment of the invention, the air gap 18 may have a thickness of between 0.4 mm and 1 mm and the average thickness of said air gap 18 may preferably be equal to 0.7 mm. When carrying out the invention, the person skilled in the art adapts the thickness of the air gap according to various parameters such as the general dimensions of the constituent elements of the machine, the manufacturing precision required in the field of application and also the expected performance.

[0048] In order to determine the choice of the rank h of the predetermined harmonic which makes it possible to maximize the beneficial effects of the formula of the invention, it is proposed to study by numerical simulation the most important parameters of the operation of the electrical machine as a function of the variation rank h of the harmonic and the phase shift Δ i , namely: average torque torque ripple maximum power maximum power at maximum speed rotor losses.

[0049] These non-limiting examples are made for a synchro-reluctant electric machine assisted by permanent magnets with 4 pairs of poles and 3 magnets per pole.

[0050] There figure 6 illustrates the variation of the average torque as a function of rank h of the harmonic and the phase shift Δ i . As shown in the legend on the right, the intensity level of the gray corresponds to a variation in torque depending on the rank hof the harmonic and the phase shift Δ i . We note that the variation in torque is very low with a variation of + / -0.7% compared to the maximum average torque. However, we also note that certain harmonic ranks generate a greater variation than others. For example, harmonic ranks 2, 10, 14, 15, 16 and 17 seem to have a more significant influence than other harmonics on the average torque, see the light areas of the figure.

[0051] There figure 7 illustrates the ripple of the average torque as a function of rank h of the harmonic and the phase shift Δ i . As per the legend on the right, the gray intensity level corresponds to a ripple of the average torque as a function of rank h of the harmonic and the phase shift Δ i. We note that certain harmonic orders have a very marked negative impact on the performance of the electrical machine, see the light areas. We note that certain harmonic orders seem to generate a lot of ripple, in the range of harmonic orders between 9 and 12. The creation of new torque harmonics in this range is detrimental to the proper operation of the electrical machine because we are looking, on the contrary, for the reduction of vibration created by the torque ripple. As in the previous case, certain harmonic and phase shift orders seem more favorable to the reduction of torque ripple.

[0052] There figure 8 illustrates the variation of maximum power as a function of rank h of the harmonic and the phase shift Δ i . As per the legend on the right, the gray intensity level corresponds to a maximum power depending on the rank hof the harmonic and the phase shift Δ i . We note that the variation in power is low with a variation of + / -1.5% compared to the average. We note that the ranks of the harmonics affecting the maximum power are substantially identical to those of the average torque, such as 10 and 14 for example, see the light areas, but some appear, here 4 and 5, and others disappear, here 2. However, the variations are particularly low.

[0053] There figure 9 illustrates the variation of maximum power at maximum rotation speed, here 14,000 rpm as a function of rank h of the harmonic and the phase shift Δ i . As per the legend on the right, the gray intensity level corresponds to a variation of the maximum power as a function of the rank h of the harmonic and the phase shift Δ i. We note that certain ranks of harmonics have a very marked positive impact on the performance of the electric machine, see the light areas. We note the potential possibility of gaining more than 7% compared to the average power depending on the ranks of harmonics considered, namely ranks 4, 10, 12 and 14.

[0054] There figure 10 illustrates the variation of rotor losses at 70kW at maximum rotation speed, here 14,000 rpm as a function of rank h of the harmonic and the phase shift Δ i . According to the legend on the right, the intensity level of the gray corresponds to a variation of the rotor losses as a function of the rank h of the harmonic and the phase shift Δ i. It is observed that certain harmonic orders have a very marked positive impact on rotor losses, can be reduced by 15% compared to the average value, see the light areas. More particularly, the harmonic orders 2, 12 and 14 seem very interesting for reducing rotor losses.

[0055] The results of the previous studies are grouped in the following table 1 (the sign 0 corresponds to a substantially zero impact, the sign + corresponds to a positive impact, the sign ++ corresponds to a very marked positive impact, the sign - corresponds to a negative impact, the sign -- corresponds to a very marked negative impact): [Table 1] Harmonic range 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Couple Max ○ ++ ○ + ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ + ○ ○ ○ + ++ ++ ++ + ○ ○ Waveform ○ ++ ○ ○ + + ○ + ○ - ○ - ○ ++ ○ + ○ ○ ○ ○ Max Power ○ ○ ○ + + ○ ○ + ○ ++ ○ ++ ○ ++ ++ ++ ++ ○ ++ ○ Power @Vmax ○ ++ ++ + + + ○ ○ ○ ++ ○ +++ ○ ++ ++ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Rotor losses ○ ++ ○ + ○ ○ + ○ + ○ ○ + ○ +++ ++ + + ○ + ○

[0056] We quantify the advantage of the sinusoidal variable thickness air gap which makes it possible to both tend towards the maximum torque performance at low speed, characteristic of a machine with a small air gap, and also towards the maximum efficiency and power performance at high rotation speed of a machine with a large air gap.

[0057] It is highlighted that harmonics 2 and 14 are the most interesting for the electrical machine studied.

[0058] According to one embodiment of the invention, the rank of the predetermined harmonic is therefore an even whole number. Preferably, the rank of the predetermined harmonic is 2 or 14. Alternatively, a combination of these harmonics can also be chosen.

[0059] The results presented here are shown for a machine with 4 pole pairs, but the generic formulation of the air gap shape and the harmonic order study allow this result to be generalized regardless of the number of pole pairs.

[0060] According to one embodiment of the invention, said electric machine is of the synchro-reluctant electric machine type, with four pairs of poles, preferably comprising 3 magnets in each magnetic pole. Preferably, for this design of electric machine, the harmonics taken into account in the formula defined for the thickness of the air gap are harmonics 2 and / or 14.

Claims

1. Electric machine, comprising a rotor (1) and a stator (15), the rotor (1) comprising: o p pairs of magnetic poles each having a magnetic pole axis, ∘ an air gap (18) defining a space between the rotor (1) and the stator (15), said air gap (18) having a nonconstant radial thickness, characterized in that said air gap (18) has a thickness e0(θm) defined by the following formula: e 0 θm = e 0 , average + Δ e 2 cos p ∗ θm ∗ h + Δ θ wherein: ∘ θm: is the mechanical position of said air gap (18) measured in degrees and varying between 0° and 360°, ∘ e0,average: is the average thickness of said air gap (18) measured in mm and determined as the average value integrated over all the mechanical positions θm between 0° and 360°, ∘ Δe: is the maximum variation of said air gap (18), measured in mm and determined as the difference between the smallest thickness of the air gap (18), in a mechanical position θm the stator (15) and the rotor (1) are closest together and the greatest thickness, in another mechanical position θm the stator (15) and the rotor (1) are furthest apart from one another, ∘ p: is the number of pairs of poles, ∘ h: is an integer representing a predetermined harmonic rank, ∘ Δθ: is the initial radial phase shift between the axis of a magnetic pole and the point of the maximum amplitude of the sinusoidal function.

2. Electric machine according to Claim 1, wherein each magnetic pole is composed of at least three magnets (7) positioned in axial voids (6).

3. Electric machine according to Claim 2, comprising three asymmetric flux barriers which make up each magnetic pole, which include one outer flux barrier (9), one centre flux barrier (10) and one inner flux barrier (11), each flux barrier (9, 10, 11) comprising two inclined voids (8) that are positioned on either side of each axial void (6), the two inclined voids (8) forming an opening angle (θ1, θ2, θ3) between them which corresponds to the angle between two straight lines each passing through the centre C of the rotor (1) and through a midpoint (M) positioned on an outer face (12) of the respective voids (8) of each flux barrier (9, 10, 11) and said flux barriers are substantially V-shaped with a flat base.

4. Electric machine according to Claim 3, wherein the initial phase shift Δθ is directly deduced from the opening angles (θ1, θ2, θ3) of the flux barriers (9, 10, 11).

5. Electric machine according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said number p of pairs of magnetic poles is between 2 and 9, preferably between 3 and 6, and is preferably 4.

6. Electric machine according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said rotor (1) has a contact surface, which is substantially cylindrical and of variable radius, with said air gap (18), and said stator (15) has a contact surface, which is substantially cylindrical and of constant radius, with said air gap (18).

7. Electric machine according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said air gap (18) is between 0.4 mm and 1 mm thick, and the average thickness of said air gap (18) is preferably 0.7 mm.

8. Electric machine according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the predetermined rank of the harmonic is an even integer.

9. Electric machine according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the predetermined rank of the harmonic is 2 or 14 or a combination of these harmonics.

10. Electric machine according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said electric machine is a synchronous reluctance electric machine, preferably having 3 magnets in each magnetic pole.