Fault-tolerant permanent magnet machine with reconfigurable flux paths in stator back iron

A permanent magnet (PM) machine has a fault condition mechanism disposed within a back iron of the stator portion, the mechanism operational to automatically reduce fault currents associated with the PM machine during a fault condition. The fault condition mechanism disposed within the stator back iron is reconfigurable to automatically reduce internal heat associated with the PM machine during a fault condition. A method of reconfiguring the PM machine upon detecting a fault condition includes the steps of 1) selecting the reconfigurable fault condition mechanism from a) a plurality of magnetically anisotropic rotatable cylinders, b) a plurality of ferrofluid-filled cavities, and c) a dual-phase material selectively embedded within the stator core; and 2) reconfiguring the fault condition mechanism to automatically reduce fault currents or internal heat associated with the PM machine upon detection of a fault condition.