Electromagnetic Performance Comparison of Multi-Layered Interior Permanent Magnet Machines for EV Traction Applications

Electromagnetic performance of three multi-layered interior permanent magnet (IPM) machines are investigated and compared for electric vehicle applications in this paper. The rotor structure, air-gap field distribution, torque density, torque ripple, core loss, magnet eddy-current loss, and output power are studied with finite-element analysis. It is demonstrated that the two-layered rotor structure with magnets buried deeply has the lower torque density and magnet eddy-current loss due to the utilization of magnets and the block effects of the armature-reaction flux is lower. The three-layered IPM machine has the lower torque ripple and core loss than two-layered IPM machines because the harmonics of air-gap density are reduce by the increase of magnet layers. Finally, an IPM machine with three-layered magnets rotor is prototyped to verify the analysis.