Layered Electric Machine Rotor With Reduced Rare-Earth Magnet Use
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for electric vehicles has led to a scarcity of rare-earth materials used in permanent magnets for electric machine rotors, limiting their performance and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A rotor design for electric machines that incorporates a layered structure with alternating magnetic and non-magnetic layers, minimizing the use of rare-earth magnets while maintaining performance benefits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional rotor designs with extensive permanent magnet usage are employed, then performance and efficiency are maximized, but material consumption of rare-earth materials increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor is segmented into multiple magnetic layers (first magnetic layer, second magnetic layer, third magnetic layer) with alternating non-magnetic layers, where magnets are selectively placed only in specific rotor slots of specific layers. This segmentation allows performance optimization in regions where magnets are present while reducing overall material consumption by excluding magnets from other regions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the rotor are assigned different properties: magnetic layers contain magnets in certain rotor slots to provide strong magnetic fields where needed, while non-magnetic layers contain no magnets to reduce material consumption. The rotor slots are selectively configured with magnets in some layers and without magnets in other layers, creating local quality variations that optimize both performance and material efficiency.
2Reliability
If rare-earth materials are used extensively in permanent magnets, then performance benefits are achieved, but resource scarcity limitations are encountered
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of placing magnets in all rotor slots across all magnetic layers, the invention uses partial action by placing magnets only in specific rotor slots of specific magnetic layers. The non-magnetic layers are deliberately designed without magnets, achieving sufficient performance through the strategic placement of magnets in critical regions while significantly reducing rare-earth material consumption.
3Force
If magnets are placed in all rotor slots, then magnetic field strength is maximized, but manufacturing complexity and material cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor structure is divided into distinct magnetic and non-magnetic layers, with magnets placed only in specific rotor slots of magnetic layers. This segmentation simplifies manufacturing by reducing the number of magnets that need to be installed and positioned, while still achieving adequate magnetic field strength in the regions where magnets are present.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design optimizes the use of magnets, reducing material consumption while achieving comparable performance to traditional designs, thus addressing the scarcity of rare-earth materials.
Implementation Method 1
Rare-Earth (RE), Heavy Rare-Earth (HRE) and/or other types of permanent magnets capable of providing persistent magnetic fields may be incorporated into rotors to maximize performance
Implementation Method 2
each rotor pole including a plurality of rotor slots arranged into one or more magnetic layers and one or more non-magnetic layers
Data Source
AI summary
A rotor for an electric machine including a rotor core having a plurality of circumferentially spaced rotor poles. Each rotor pole may include a plurality of rotor slots arranged into one or more magnetic layers and one or more non-magnetic layers. The magnetic layers may include a magnet within one or more of the rotor slots thereof and the non-magnetic layers including no magnets within the rotor slots thereof.