A number of significant advancements have increased the appeal of very high- speed electrical machines (either motor or generator). The key drivers in a transition to higher speed include rising power electronics switching speed, high energy magnets, and high strength retaining materials, stronger high speed bearings, and advancements in design analysis. The mechanical design, both in terms of strength and resonant modes, and the electromagnetic design, notably in terms of iron losses and ac losses in various conducting elements, including the rotor, present design issues. This paper details the design work on a permanent magnet (PM) synchronous machine with a speed of 50,000 rpm and a power of 50kW. It describes studies on rotor eddy current losses utilising a number of methodologies, including both 2D and 3D finite element analysis.
Keywords: High speed, PM motor, rotor and stator losses, finite- element analysis
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