Aluminum Eddy Currents in PSRM Stator Arrays: Analysis and Mitigation for Improved Control Precision and Energy Efficiency

In this article, the influence of aluminum eddy currents in the PSRM stator array on electromagnetic properties and control performance is investigated. A model is developed to analyze the eddy current density distribution based on Maxwell's equations, and an inductance model is derived that considers the eddy current effect. The effect of aluminum eddy currents on PSRM position control performance is qualitatively analyzed. The distribution of aluminum eddy currents and ohmic loss is verified through finite element analysis. The validity of the developed inductance model is experimentally verified. A material substitution method is proposed to eliminate the aluminum eddy current. Experimental results show that the position control accuracy of the PSRM prototype is improved by an average of 6.94% after the elimination of aluminum eddy currents, while the motor efficiency is improved by 6.51%.