“Brushless and Permanent Magnet Free Wound
Field Synchronous Motors for EV Traction”
             Prof. Dan Ludois – Principle Investigator
                University of Wisconsin - Madison
                                      June 9th, 2015
                                                                     Project ID: EDT065
This presentation does not contain any proprietary, confidential, or otherwise restricted information
                                                 DCL-1-
                                Overview
Timeline: 2 years                                    Budget: $616,567
   – Project start date: October 1st, 2014              DOE - $493,247
   – Project end date: September 30th, 2016              FY1 $279,245
   – Percent complete: 33% as of today                   FY2 $214,002
Partners                                                UW & IIT - $123,320
   – Prof. Dan Ludois – University of Wisconsin – Madison
   – Prof. Ian Brown – Illinois Institute of Technology
Barriers
   – Magnet cost (about $200) is about 75% of the 2020 motor cost target;
     eliminating PMs reduces motor cost by 30%
   – The back EMF of Interior PM machines requires a boost converter, which
     brings the power electronics cost above the 2015 or 2020 cost targets;
     eliminating the boost converter saves 20% in power electronics cost
   – Poor power factors for Interior PM machines cause larger currents,
     increasing size and cost of PE; improved power factor saves 15% PE cost
                                        DCL-2-
      Background Motivation - Relevance
• Commercial & societal detractions of permanent
  magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs)
   – Rare earth PMs are significant fraction of EV motor cost
   – Rare earth PM market is volatile
   – Rare earth PM extraction and refinement environmentally
     hazardous
   – Rare earth PMs are largely single source from a foreign
     power
                               DCL-3-
        Background Motivation - Relevance
• PMSM’s operational detractions in a traction application
   ‒ PMs have a fixed flux level, non variable, always “on”; safety
     concerns during inverter faults.
   – Interior PMSMs typically operate with negative d-axis current
     (especially during field weakening operation);
      • Power factor lowered because of the reactive current
      • Traction inverter oversized to supply reactive current
      • Increased losses in inverter and stator (ohmic)
  Wound Field Synchronous Machines (WFSM) stand to overcome the
              limitations of PMSMs via electromagnets
                                 DCL-4-
               Project Objective – Relevance
• Design, develop, and demonstrate a prototype wound field
  synchronous motor (WFSM) with brushless rotor excitation
  via capacitive power transfer (CPT) capable of replicating the
  performance of commercially available Interior PM motors
  for EV traction.
• Two WFSM prototypes have the following technical targets:
                      DOE USDRIVE AND WFSM PROTOTYPE TARGETS
                                                          WFSM          WFSM
                               USDRIVE       USDRIVE
                                                        Prototype 1   Prototype 2
       Attribute      Units      2015          2020
                                                          Target        Target
                                Target        Target
      Peak Power       kW         55              55        55            55
      Cont. Power      kW         30              30        30            30
     Specific Power   kW/kg       1.3             1.6       1.3           1.6
     Power Density    kW/l        5               5.7       4.5           5
     Specific Cost    $/kg        7               4.7        -             -
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                       Budget Period 1 Milestones
        Milestone                Type                             Description
                                              Analytical and finite element confirmation of
Initial Electrostatic Design                  capacitive coupler transferring average field
                               Technical
          Complete                            power [≥300 W] and peak field power [≥600W]
                                              with limited electric fields [<1.5 MV/m]
Development of Combined
       Thermal and                            Optimization results for sample designs match
 Electromagnetic WFSM                         detailed finite element modelling results within
                               Technical
     Multi-objective                          15% for average torque, torque ripple, phase flux
   Optimization Code                          linkage and within 20% for stator core losses.
        Complete
                                              Candidate designs meet the following technical
     Multi-objective
                                              goals: 55 kW peak power for 18 sec., 30 kW
Optimization and Selection
                               Technical      power continuous, specific power >1.3 kW/kg,
 of Candidate Designs for
                                              power density >4.5 kW/l in optimization
  Prototyping Complete
                                              analysis.
  Construction WFSM                           Selected design for prototype 1 constructed and
                               Technical
  Prototype 1 Complete                        ready for bench testing.
                                              Experimentally confirm capacitive coupling
  Capacitive Coupling
                               Go/No Go       transfers average field power [≥300 W] and peak
  Bench Test Complete
                                              field power [≥600W] to dummy load.
                                           DCL-6-
                      Budget Period 2 - Milestones
             Milestone          Type                          Description
                                           Design for prototyping meets the following
 WFSM Prototype 1 Initial
                                           technical goals 55kW peak power for 18 sec., 30
 Dynamometer Testing with     Technical
                                           kW power continuous, specific power ≥1.3 kW/kg,
    Brushes Complete
                                           power density ≥ 4.5kW/l
                                           The measured performance of the WFSM
  Dynamometer Testing of
                                           Prototype 1 meets or exceeds the following
WFSM and Capacitive Coupler   Technical
                                           specifications: specific power density [≥1.3
   Prototypes 1 Complete
                                           kW/kg], volumetric power density [4.5≥kW/l].
                                           The simulation demonstrates that the WFSM stator
    Simulation Validation
                              Technical    terminal voltage can be regulated with CPT without
         Complete
                                           the need for the main traction drive.
                                           The measured performance of the WFSM meets or
   WFSM Performance –                      exceeds the following specifications: specific
                              Technical
   Prototype 2 Achieved                    power density [≥ 1.6 kW/kg], volumetric power
                                           density [≥ 5 kW/l].
Performance in CERTS Micro-                The WFSM is able to transfer real and reactive
                              Go/No Go
       grid Achieved                       power to the micro-grid.
                                          DCL-7-
                 Approach/Strategy
             Potential WFSM Advantages
• Wound field synchronous machines (WFSMs) require no
  PMs
• WFSM have complete control of field excitation
   – Third control variable iq, id, if
   – WFSM have potential for optimal field weakening and a large
     constant power speed range
   – Loss minimization control
   – Rapidly de-energize field in the case of inverter fault
   – Traction inverter downsizing and improved efficiency
• Potential for power take off (generator operation) and grid
  support when used in a hybrid vehicle application
                                         DCL-8-
                                Approach/Strategy
                   Inductive (IPT) vs. Capacitive (CPT) Coupling
                                                                                                                                                                   Rotary          Field
                                                         Rotary         Field
                                                                                                                                                                  Rectifier       Winding
                                                        Rectifier      Winding
                                                                                                                                                       Rotary
                                                                                                                                                     capacitors
                                             Rotary
                                                                                                                                                     C                                   Lf
                                                                                                                                 Power Electronics
                                          transformer
                      Power Electronics
                                                                            Lf
                                                                                                           Power Source
Power Source
                                                                                                                                                                                         Rf
                                                                           Rf                                                                        C
                                                                                                                          Stator frame                            Rotor frame
               Stator frame                              Rotor frame
                                                                                 Basic idea: replace PMs
                                                                                 with electromagnets
                                             © Brusa 2004-2010                                                                                                                  To
                                                                                                                                                                              Inverter
                           Approach to Critical Challenges
     • Design of the rotor and stator for max power density
     • Non-contact rotor field power, i.e. brushless Capacitive Power Transfer
                                                                                           DCL-9-
                             Approach/Strategy
                          CPT in WFSM Advantages
                                                                 Dai, J.; Ludois, D., "A Survey of
                                                                 Wireless Power Transfer and a
                                                                 Critical Comparison of Inductive
                                                                 and Capacitive Coupling for
                                                                 Small Gap Applications," Power
                                                                 Electronics, IEEE Transactions on
                                                                 -CPT has comparable power
                                                                 capability to IPT for small gaps
•   CPT Advantages for WFSMs: less shaft length, high structural integrity
     –   No need for back iron, vs. closed magnetic path in transformers
     –   Electric flux lines terminate on charge, field cancels outside gap
     –   Metal disks naturally suited for high speed
     –   No composite materials or brittle materials (like ferrite)
     –   Air dielectric works well at high frequency
     –   Light weight, low cost: No magnetic grade steel, ferrite or copper windings
                                                DCL-10-
                  Approach/Strategy
            WFSM Flexible Design Environment
             A combined WFSM electromagnetic and thermal design
                  optimization environment has been created
             MATLAB(Geometry engine, program control, optimization)
                         ActiveX                 ActiveX
            mFEMM
                                   ActiveX
                                                            MOTORCAD
         (Magneto-static)                                    (Thermal)
First prototype design to be
                                                        Infolytica MagNet
completed by late spring 2015
                                                    (Transient Electromagnetic)
                                       DCL-11-
   Technical Accomplishments/Progress
   Milestone 1: Initial Electrostatic Design
• Class E amplifier and rectifier, “class E2”
• 2.5 kW capable, 550kHz switching, 1200V SiC switches
• Requires ~10nF of coupling capacitance for C1, C2
                            DCL-12-
       Technical Accomplishments/Progress
Milestone 1: Initial Power Electronic Circuit Results
                     •   General pad implementation (prior to WFSM)
                     •   1100W, 92% efficient (DC to DC)
                     •   Output: 165V and 7A
                     •   9nF coupling capacitance (C1, C2)
                     •   540kHz soft switching
                     •   Peak device voltage ~0.85kV (1.2kV SiC parts)
                           DCL-13-
     Technical Accomplishments/Progress
Milestone 1: Axial Flux Hydrodynamic Coupling Capacitors
• Spiral groove thrust bearing design, air is working fluid
• 100mm diameter, 50 micron gap, 10nF realized for C1 & C2
                             DCL-14-
  Technical Accomplishments/Progress
Milestone 1: Initial Electrostatic Design, CPT Coupling
                                     • <1/3 the axial length of a
                                       traditional brushless exciter for
                                       this machine rating
                                     • 2.5 kW throughput
                                     • Mass: 600 grams
                                     • Mechanically stable to high
                                       speeds
                                     • Prototype construction
                                       underway
                           DCL-15-
                Technical Accomplishments/Progress
       Milestone 2: Parametric Geometry and Structural Analysis
•   Geometry (stator and rotor) is               •       Design of experiments structural
    parameterized to allow full exploration              analysis
    of design space                                       – Determine rotor geometric design
     – Geometry engine allows for points to                 variable limitations
       merge and collapse
     – Single and double layer windings
                                                  Von-Mises Stress                  Strain
         (a) Rotor Type A   (b) Rotor Type B
         (c) Rotor Type C   (d) Rotor Type D
                                               DCL-16-
             Technical Accomplishments/Progress
  Milestone 2: Rapid Transient Magnetic Behavior Reconstruction
     •   Using a series of magneto-static simulations and fully exploiting magnetic
         and electric symmetries to reconstruct transient behavior rapidly
          – Enables multi-objective population based optimization
          – Coupled with thermal analysis
   Rapid magneto-static                          Transient magnetic
      reconstruction                                  MagNet
         FEMM
Torque versus Current Angle         Torque versus Position      Radial Flux Density Mid-Tooth
                                             DCL-17-
Response to Previous Year Reviewers’ Comments
• This project is a new start
                Partnerships/Collaborations
• Lead Institution (PI) – University of Wisconsin - Madison
• Sub-award Institution – Illinois Institution of Technology
    – Weekly meeting between project institution leads (Ludois, Brown)
    – Biweekly joint teleconferences between teams (includes students)
    – Site visits for hands on collaboration
• C-Motive Technologies Inc. (Madison WI based startup)
    – C-Motive advising UW on CPT deployment
    – Lending capacitive surface coating and annealing know how
    – Desires to participate in future commercialization effort if project is
      successful
                                        DCL-18-
                 Future Work & Activities
                  Budget Period 1 (Through 9/30/2015)
•   Complete construction of WFSM Prototype 1
•   Control code development and dynamometer testing of WFSM
    Prototype 1
•   Complete construction of Capacitive Coupler Prototype 1
•   Bench testing of Capacitive Coupler Prototype 1
               Budget Period 2 (10/1/2015 - 9/30/2016)
•   Dynamometer testing of WFSM and Capacitive Coupler Prototypes 1
•   Design of WFSM Prototype 2 from lessons learned with Prototype 1
•   Design of Capacitive Coupler Prototype 2 from lesson learned
•   Construction of WFSM and Capacitive Coupler Prototypes 2
•   Dynamometer testing of WFSM and Capacitive Coupler Prototypes 2
•   Investigation of power take-off capability and microgrid support
                                  DCL-19-
                                       Summary
•   Relevance
     – Develop a high performance wound field synchronous machine for EV traction
        • Brushless & permanent magnet free
     – Reduce EV motor and traction inverter cost
•   Approach
     – Capacitive power transfer for compact brushless rotor excitation
     – Combined electromagnetic and thermal multi-objective optimization for WFSM
•   Technical Accomplishments
     – Initial capacitive coupler design complete, power electronics functionality confirmed
       experimentally at >1kW and 92% efficient.
     – Parametric geometry engine, rapid reconstruction of transient magnetic behavior from
       static simulations, to enable population based optimization
•   Future Work
     – Construction and dynamometer testing of WFSM and Capacitive Coupler
     – Design refinement and 2nd prototype development from 1st prototype lessons learned
     – WFSM control algorithms and deployment in a microgrid environment
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Technical Back-Up Slides
           DCL-21-
                    Coupling Capacitor Rotors
                                      Φ 100mm
                                     Φ 60mm
• 0.016in. thick 3003-O Aluminum sheets
• Hard anodized beyond flexures
• Torque transmitted through featured
  I.D. and nylon 6/6 alignment pins
    • 3003-O
    • Resistivity – 3.649E-8 [Ohm-m]
    • Yield Strength – 144.78 [Mpa]
    • 6061-T6
    • Resistivity – 4.066E-8 [Ohm-m]
    • Yield Strength – 241.31 [Mpa]
                                          DCL-22-
           Coupling Capacitor Stators
 Φ 113mm
Φ 60mm                          • 0.016in. thick 3003-O
                                  Aluminum sheets
                                • Designed as outwardly
                                  pumping spiral groove
                                  bearing
Φ 85mm                          • Supported on flexure
                                  beams at OD
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Capacitive Power Coupling Exploded View
                             • 2 coupling
                               capacitors, C1, C2
                             • Rectifier board
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