Analysis of the Yokeless And Segmented Armature Machine

This paper presents a new type of axial flux motor, the yokeless and segmented armature (YASA) topology. The YASA motor has no stator yoke, a high fill factor and short end windings which all increase torque density and efficiency of the machine. Thus, the topology is highly suited for high performance applications. The LIFEcar project is aimed at producing the world's first hydrogen sports car, and the first YASA motors have been developed specifically for the vehicle. The stator segments have been made using powdered iron material which enables the machine to be run up to 300 Hz. The iron in the stator of the YASA motor is dramatically reduced when compared to other axial flux motors, typically by 50%, causing an overall increase in torque density of around 20%. A detailed Finite Element analysis (FEA) analysis of the YASA machine is presented and it is shown that the motor has a peak efficiency of over 95%.