Overview on Permanent Magnet Motor Trends and Developments

The extreme environmental issues and the resulting need to save energy have turned attention to the electrification of energy applications. One of the key components involved in energy efficiency improvements is the appropriate conception and manufacturing of electric machines. This paper overviews the electromagnetic analysis governing the behavior of permanent magnets that enable substantial efficiency gains in recent electric machine developments. Particular emphasis is given to modeling the properties and losses developed in permanent magnets in emerging high speed applications. In addition, the investigation of properties and harmonic losses related to ferromagnetic materials constituting the machine magnetic circuits are equally analyzed and discussed. The experimental validation of the implemented methodologies and developed models with respect to the obtained precision is reported. The introduction of mixed numerical techniques based on the finite element method intended to appropriately represent the different physical phenomena encountered is outlined and discussed. Finally, fast and accurate simulation techniques including aggregated lumped parameter models considering harmonic losses associated with inverter supplies are discussed.