Different Rotors of an Axially-Laminated-Rotor Synchronous Reluctance Machine – assessment of effects of materials and manufacturing methods

High-speed electric machines are special types of machines that are used to increase power density by elevated rotor speed and enable direct connection to an application like a compressor or turbine impeller. These features are beneficial in e.g. industrial or aviation applications. The high-speed operation requires a rugged rotor to handle the high centrifugal loads while the electromagnetic performance should be acceptable. This research investigates the mechanical and electrical performance of three different axially laminated anisotropic synchronous reluctance rotor configurations for a 12 kW 24 000 rpm motor. The magnetic and non-magnetic layers of the axially laminated rotors are joined with hot isostatic pressing or vacuum brazing. The results show that all the studied rotor constructions achieve sufficiently homogeneous structures and good electromagnetic performance and are therefore feasible constructions for high-speed operation.