Commercialization of Power Dense Nanocomposite Based REE-Free Axial Flux Motors

Trends towards electrification have increased the demand for advances in high power, highly efficient, and power dense electric motor designs. Many of today’s highly efficient and power dense motor designs incorporate permanent magnets containing rare earth elements, such as neodymium, that present significant supply chain vulnerabilities stemming from highly concentrated foreign supply sources. This situation is such that the Department of Energy has designated such rare earth elements as critical minerals. In the current proposal, we seek to overcome the limitations of conventional motor topologies through a combination of state-of-the-art patented nanocomposite soft magnets and emerging rare earth element-free permanent magnets in a high-speed motor architecture. More specifically, we will exploit the latest advances in metal amorphous nanocomposite FeNi-based alloy systems in concert with iron nitride permanent magnets in an axial flux motor design of 80kW to 100kW scale. This configuration will provide for a high power density by increasing rotational speed and the effective electrical frequency while retaining low core losses. Comparative designs with other rare earth free permanent magnet materials will be developed for benchmarking purposes. During the proposed Phase I efforts, a series of detailed motor designs will be developed by CorePower Magnetics based on advanced multiphysics simulations that incorporate metal amorphous nanocomposite soft magnetic materials and rare earth element -free permanent magnetic materials. The designs will be evaluated against efficiency, peak and continuous power, cost, and other primary dimensions. Additionally, detailed considerations of mechanical integrity and thermal performance will be compared as the motor size is scaled to the targeted 80kW to 100kW power rating, such that increased stresses and temperature limitations of the materials are understood at scale. Finally, detailed manufacturing plans will be developed to address process flows, bill of materials, and costs (among other manufacturing parameters). The successful development and commercialization of power-dense rare earth element -free motors in the 80kW to 100 kW range will enable original equipment manufacturers and their tier 1 suppliers to incorporate such designs into their systems across automotive, aviation and industrial sectors. The benefits of such designs include increased design flexibility, increased efficiency and/or vehicle range, and lower costs. By moving away from rare earth element critical materials, these industries will benefit from more resilient supply chains with reductions in cost uncertainties and increases in supplier choices.