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Flat future: How can axial motors demonstrate ultra-high power density in the aviation and automotive fields?
With the continuous advancement of science and technology, the demand for electric vehicles and electric aircraft is increasing day by day. One of the significant technological developments is the use of axial motors (Axial Flux Motor, AFM). In this motor structure, the direction of the gap between the rotor and the stator is parallel to the rotation axis. As opposed to the common radial motor, the design of the axial motor makes the Torque grow with the cube of the rotor diameter, which makes it perform better in terms of power density. Excellent. Such a design not only improves performance, but also shows strong potential in a variety of applications, ranging from electric vehicles to electric aircraft.
Axial motors have a larger magnetic surface and overall surface area, and provide significantly better cooling for a given volume than radial motors.
Characteristics of axial motor
The design of axial motors offers several advantages. First, a motor can be built on any flat structure, such as a printed circuit board (PCB), by adding coils and bearings. This design simplifies the coil winding process and can use flat rectangular copper strips instead of more complex winding methods, making high current winding easier.
Secondly, the rotor of an axial motor can often be designed to be lighter, and because the magnetic circuit is shorter, it is often possible to use oriented grain electrical steel, which not only increases the magnetic permeability but also reduces core losses. However, this design also has its limitations, such as uneven magnetic flux distribution that can lead to unstable performance.
Design and Application
In terms of design, axial motors can use single or dual rotors, and can also choose single or dual stators. Typically in high-power applications, a dual-stator single-rotor design is more common, although this requires a housing that accommodates core losses. In contrast, the single-stator and dual-rotor design can save the weight of the casing and improve efficiency.
YASA’s 37kg stackable 750 R motor offers a power density of over 5kw/kg, making it stand out in the market.
It is worth mentioning that although the use of axial motors began as early as the development period of electromagnetic motors, their application scope was relatively limited before powerful permanent magnet materials were widely available and brushless DC motor technology was developed. With the increase in demand in recent years, the application of axial motors in the field of electric vehicles has accelerated.
Changes in the automotive and aviation sectors
In the automotive field, YASA's products have been used in a variety of concept and prototype cars, and are mounted on high-performance sports cars such as the Koenigsegg Regera and Ferrari SF90 Stradale. YASA's goal is to design a motor that can output 220 kilowatts per kilogram, which is crucial to improving the performance of electric vehicles.
In the aviation field, Rolls-Royce's ACCEL electric aircraft uses three axial motors and sets the current world speed record for electric aircraft. YASA provides axial motors for Rolls Royce's Spirit of Innovation aircraft, aiming to achieve a power density of 50 kW/kg to cope with the massive weight reduction required for electronic flight.
The design of axial motors not only allows electric vehicles and aircraft to achieve higher power densities, but also continues to change our imagination of electric travel.
Future Outlook
Looking to the future, the development potential of axial motors is still huge. Different companies, such as Emrax and Siemens, have begun to research more efficient axial motors so that they can perform well in various types of applications. With the rapid development of electric transportation around the world, the continued innovation and application of this technology may become an important trend in future transportation design.
Ultimately, as technology advances, how might the application of such motors further change our lifestyles and transportation systems?
