Investigation of Material Combinations for Axially-Laminated Synchronous Machine

High-speed electric machines are special types of electric machines which aim for compact, direct-driven high-speed applications and highly efficient operation, especially, when gearbox can be avoided. Design of these types of machines is highly iterative combining multiphysics optimization and leads to custom types of machines which fulfill the application-specific requirements. Synchronous Reluctance Machines (Syn-RMs) might have an axially-laminated solid rotor structure, which combines magnetic and non-magnetic layers rigidly bonded to each other by vacuum brazing, hot isostatic pressing, soldering, explosion welding or even by additive manufacturing. In the study five non-magnetic materials and nine magnetic materials are cross compared and the results show clear differences in performance, efficiency and physical properties of the rotor when made of different material combinations, and thereby can suggest the best pairs when application-specific performance criteria are known. The study is carried out on a 12 kW machine with a maximum speed of 24000 rpm.