Design and Performance Analysis of a Novel Hybrid PM Five-Phase Fault- Tolerant Switched-Flux Memory Motor

Abstract

Background: The existing literature depicts that since the advent of the hybrid permanent magnet switched-flux memory motor (HPMSF-MM), comprehensive research is focused on the design of three (3)-phase HPMSF-MM topologies, which limits their practical safety crucial design application range or scope, namely, in electric vehicle (EV). Objective: This research work aims to design a novel five (5)-phase fault-tolerant HPMFS-MM using the synergy of two key PMs, namely, a neodymium magnet (NdFeB) and Alnico magnet, also known as low coercive force (LCF) with an intrinsic overload fault detection capacity and excellent flux-regulation capacity to extend it practical application scope. Methods: This research paper employs finite element analysis (FEA) via ANSYS Maxwell electromagnetic software in designing, simulation, and analyzing the proposed fault-tolerant HPMSF-MM. Results: The key merit of the Proposed HPMSF-MM is the exhibition of an overload fault protection mechanism via an injection of a reversed temporary control pulse current into the field winding (FW) in the event of an overload fault condition to demagnetize the Alnico PM configuration to ensure that, almost all the generated flux are short-circuited via the design stator-core without linking the designed rotor as in the case of normal operation is effectively verified via the flux-linkage analysis in this paper. Conclusion: The proposed HPMFS-MM can effectively demonstrate its intrinsic overload fault detection mechanism, due to its tremendous flux-regulating or weakening capacity, in addition to its fault-tolerant teeth implementation merit of ensuring physical motor winding phase isolation in an event of a fault.