High speed automotive drive using new grades of soft magnetic composite

As greenhouse gas and air quality regulations tighten, the automotive industry is challenged to provide sustainable low emission vehicles solutions. To achieve the low emission targets, tremendous focus has been placed on vehicle electrification.

Electric vehicles have the potential to increase vehicle power density and improve the fuel to road efficiency range compared their internal combustion engine counterpart. However, significant design improvements are required to meet the emission regulations. The technical targets set by the automotive council UK for the passenger car traction motor in 2035 are; cost 4.5$/kg, continuous power density 9kW/kg, drive cycle efficiency 93% based on WLTP drive cycle. These technical targets will be used as design requirements for the proposed project's exploratory designs.

To achieve the challenging targets, innovative designs are required for traction motors. The material used in the motor designs directly influences the performance and cost of the system. Typically, laminated electrical steel sheets are used in motor topologies as they can be machined to fine tolerances governed by the designer. However, at high operating frequencies the losses within the laminated electrical steel significantly reduce the performance, size and efficiency of the motor. By replacing the laminated electrical steel with a soft magnetic composite (SMC) a performance benefit can be achieved. At higher frequencies, the performance of SMC is superior when compared to laminated steel. However, at higher frequencies additional design constraints must be considered.

Possible avenues of research to alleviate the motor design constraints are thermal management within the system. Successfully removing of the heat from the system can directly influence the size and efficiency of the system. Additionally, the motor must be designed to minimise the effect of high frequency AC losses within the windings. As the project progresses, the specific loss mechanisms will be identified and supressed by design.

This CDT will produce power electronics specialists with industrial experience, and will equip them with key skills that are essential to meet the future power electronics challenges. They will be highly employable due to their training being embedded in industrial challenges with the potential to become future leaders through parallel entrepreneurial and business acumen training. As such, they will drive the UK forward in electric propulsion development and manufacturing. They will become ambassadors for cross-disciplinary thinking in electric propulsion and mentors to their colleagues. With its strong industrial partnership, this CDT is ideally placed to produce high impact research papers, patents and spin-outs, with support from the University's dedicated business development teams. All of this will contribute to the 10% year upon year growth of the power electronics sector in the UK, creating more jobs and added value to the UK economy.

Alongside the clear benefits to the economy this CDT will sustain and enhance the UK as a hub of expertise in this rapidly increasing area. UK R&D is set to shift dramatically to electrical technologies due to, amongst other reasons, the target to ban petrol/ diesel propulsion by 2040. Whilst the increase in R&D is welcome this target will be unsustainable without the right people to support the development of alternative technologies. This CDT will directly answer this skills shortage enabling the UK to not only meet these targets but lead the way internationally in the propulsion revolution.

Industry and policy stakeholders will benefit through-
a) Providing challenges for the students to work through

b) Knowledge exchange with the students and the academics

c) New lines of investigation/ revenue/ process improvement

d) Two way access to skills/ equipment and training

e) A skilled, challenge focused workforce


Society will benefit through-
a) Propulsion systems that are more efficient and require therefore less energy reducing cost of travel

b) Engineers with new skillsets working more cost-effective and more productive

c) Skilled workforce who are mindful considering the environmental and ethical impact

d) Graduates that understand equality, diversity and inclusion


Environment will benefit through-
a) Emission free cars powered by clean renewable energy increasing air quality and reducing global warming

b) Highly efficient planes reducing the amount of oil and therefore oil explorations in ecological sensitive areas such as the arctic can be slowed down, allowing sufficient time for the development of new alternative environmental friendly fuels.

c) Significant noise reduction leading to quiet cities and airports