Three-Dimensional Equivalent Magnetic Circuit Network Method for Precise and Fast Analysis of PM-Assisted Claw-Pole Synchronous Motor

Permanent magnet (PM) assisted claw-pole synchronous motor (CPSM) has commonly been used in a variety of industrial applications thanks to its robust structure and high energy density. However, such a motor has an axially asymmetric rotor configuration, which induces the corresponding 3-D magnetic field distribution. Thus, this paper proposes an infinitesimal hexahedron-element-based 3-D equivalent magnetic circuit network (EMCN) method in order to estimate the performance of the PM-assisted CPSM. The hexahedron element is considered an optimum unit element in describing the configuration of the PM-assisted CPSM in detail. That eventually makes it possible to evaluate the specific 3-D magnetic field distribution from which the flux linkage, the back-electromotive force, and the torque are also being calculated. The 3-D EMCN results are compared with 3-D finite element analysis (FEA) data and/or experimental data to validate their accuracy. Finally, it is proved that the scalar-potential-based 3-D EMCN method requires less computing time than the vector-potential-based 3-D FEA.