Topology and parameter optimization of IPM motor considering mechanical strength by stress and connection constraints

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to apply the topology and parameter optimization (TPO) to interior permanent magnet (IPM) motors to obtain the optimized shape with higher torque, lower ripple and sufficient mechanical strength.

Design/methodology/approach

The constraints regarding the maximum stress, connectivity and mesh quality were considered to achieve not only high electrical performance but also high mechanical strength. To enhance the accuracy of the finite element analysis of the elastic analysis, this paper used body-fitted mesh adaptation technique to avoid the stress concentration.

Findings

The proposed method in this study resulted in feasible shapes with sufficiently high strength compared to previous studies. It is also shown that TPO yielded IPM motors with higher torque compared to topology optimization (TO) with fixed parameters.

Practical implications

Different from the existing studies on topology optimization of IPM motors, the mechanical strength is even considered by evaluating the stress values. Therefore, in the practical phase, geometries can be designed that are less likely to be damaged due to deformation, even in the high-speed rotation range.

Originality/value

This paper performed TO and parameter optimization (PO) simultaneously, considering not only the electrical performance but also the mechanical strength. Furthermore, the mechanical strength was evaluated more precisely by devising the elastic analysis conditions and mesh generation.