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Beyond Tradition: How can axial motors achieve higher performance with a simpler structure?
Today, as electric motor technology continues to advance, the axial flux motor has gradually become the focus of attention due to its unique structural design. The basic concept of the axial motor is to make the gap between the rotor and the stator parallel to the rotating axis. This design not only simplifies the structure but also effectively improves the overall performance.
Compared with traditional radial motors, axial motors have larger magnetic surfaces and surface areas in the same volume, which is very beneficial for heat dissipation.
The structural features of the axial motor allow it to be built on any flat substrate, such as a printed circuit board (PCB), which makes it easier to add coils and bearings during the manufacturing process. In the process of making coils, flat copper bars are used for simpler high-current windings, which allows the motor to significantly reduce the weight of the rotor, while the shorter magnetic path length reduces energy loss and thus improves efficiency.
In terms of design, axial motors can adopt diversified designs with single or dual rotors, single or dual stators, making them more flexible in high-power applications. The dual-stator, single-rotor design, although more common, requires an additional casing to prevent iron loss. For a single-stator, dual-rotor design, the casing can be omitted, saving weight and further improving efficiency.
The use of valley-oriented electrical steel can easily increase the magnetic flux of the motor and further improve efficiency.
This new motor configuration is not only a theoretical innovation, its practical applications may be diverse. In the automotive sector, Mercedes-Benz subsidiary YASA specializes in the production of axial electric motors, which have been used in concept cars, prototypes and racing cars such as the Jaguar C-X75 and Koenigsegg Regera. In the automotive industry, YASA's goal is to develop electric motors that can reach 220 kW per kilogram, which will undoubtedly be an important driving force for future electric vehicles amid the trend of lightweighting.
In aviation, Jaguar Land Rover's electric aircraft uses three axial motors. This shows the potential of this motor under the demand for high power density and lightweight design. In the future, YASA's motor is expected to achieve a target of 50 kW per kilogram, greatly advancing the development of electric aircraft.
Although the design choices result in different operating principles, the geometry of axial motors makes them uniquely advantageous for many applications.
Axial motors have proven themselves in many different applications using various operating principles such as brushed DC motors, induction motors and stepper motors. Compared to traditional radial motors, axial motors are usually shorter and wider in space, which makes them excellent in compact designs and can be built directly on printed circuit boards, making full use of PCB wiring as stator Winding.
With the widespread use of powerful permanent magnets, the emergence of axial motors has undoubtedly improved power density and work efficiency while reducing structural complexity. The development of these technologies paves the way for high-performance, environmentally friendly transportation such as electric cars and electric aircraft in the future.
Currently, there are a series of high-performance axial motors on the market from companies such as Emrax and Siemens, which provide extremely high power density. It is reported that the power density of Emrax's 228 and 268 motors exceeds 5.00 kW/kg.
Through the understanding and application of axial motors, we may be able to see more innovations and breakthroughs in the future. These motors can not only improve power performance, but also promote the development of more fields. What kind of surprises will future technology bring us?
