Chinese Journal of Electrical Engineering ›› 2016, Vol. 2 ›› Issue (2): 14-30.

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Flux Adjustable Permanent Magnet Machines: A Technology Status Review

Hui Yang1,*, Z. Q. Zhu2, Heyun Lin1, Wenqiang Chu2   

  1. 1. School of Electrical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China;
    2. Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, U.K.
  • Online:2016-12-25 Published:2019-11-01
  • Contact: Email: huiyang@seu.edu.cn.
  • About author:Hui Yang was born in Changning, Hunan Province, China in 1988. He received the B. Eng. degree from Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China in 2011, and the Ph.D. degree from Southeast University, Nanjing, China in 2016, respectively, all in electrical engineering. From 2014 to 2015, he was supported by the China Scholarship Council through a one-year joint Ph.D. studentship at The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, U.K. Since 2016, He has been with Southeast University, where he has been a lecturer of School of Electrical Engineering. His research interests include design and analysis of novel permanent-magnet machines with particular reference to variable-flux machines for electric vehicles and renewable energy applications. Z. Q. Zhu received the B. Eng. and M. Sc. degrees in electrical and electronic engineering from Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, in 1982 and 1984, respectively, and the Ph. D. degree in electrical and electronic engineering from The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, U.K., in 1991. Since 1988, he has been with The University of Sheffield, where he is currently a Professor with the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Head of the Electrical Machines and Drives Research Group, Royal Academy of Engineering/Siemens Research Chair, Academic Director of Sheffield Siemens Wind Power Research Centre, Director of Sheffield CRRC Electric Drives Technology Research Centre. His current major research interests include the design and control of permanent-magnet brushless machines and drives for applications ranging from automotive to renewable energy. He is a Fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering, U.K. Heyun Lin obtained his B. S., M. S. and Ph. D. degrees in electrical engineering from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, P. R. China, in 1985, 1989 and 1992 respectively. From 1992 to 1994, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow in Southeast University, Nanjing, P. R. China. In 1994, he joined the School of Electrical Engineering, Southeast University as an Associate Professor and became a full Professor since 2000. His main research is related to the design, analysis and control of permanent magnet motor, intelligent electrical apparatus and electromagnetic field numerical analysis. He is the author of more than 150 technical papers and the holder of 30 patents. Prof. Lin is a Fellow of IET and a Senior Member of IEEE, who is also a member of Electrical Motor and Apparatus Committee of Jiangsu Province, and senior member of both China Society of Electrical Engineering and China Electrotechnical Society. W. Q. Chu received the B. Eng. and M. Sc. degrees in electrical engineering from Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China in 2004 and Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China in 2007, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree in the electronic and electrical engineering from The University of Sheffield, UK, in 2013. From 2007 to 2009, he was with Delta Electronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. From 2012 to 2014, he was a postdoctoral research associate with The University of Sheffield. Currently, he is a principal design engineer with CRRC Electric Drive Technology Research Centre, The University of Sheffield, UK. His major research interests include electric machines and applications.

Abstract: Flux adjustable permanent magnet machines (FAPMMs) are a novel type of permanent magnet (PM) machines which are able to flexibly adjust the field excitation flux linkage and offer the distinctive advantages of high power density and high efficiency. They have attracted ever-increasing interests and are promising candidate machines for electric vehicle, machine-tool and aircraft applications. In this paper, the state-of-the-art of various FAPMMs are comprehensively reviewed according to three means of flux-adjustment, i.e. electrically adjusted by either auxiliary field windings or armature winding change, mechanically adjusted magnetic reluctances of flux paths, and memory machines by magnetizing/demagnetizing PMs. The corresponding flux-adjustable principles and electromagnetic characteristics are systematically elaborated and quantitatively compared. Their merits and demerits are highlighted, together with their recent developments.

Key words: Flux-adjustable, hybrid excitation, memory machine, mechanical adjustment, permanent magnet machine, winding change