The 2018 International Power Electronics Conference

Design and Basic Characteristics Analysis of

Toroidal Winding Axial Gap Induction Motor
Ryosuke Sakai1*, Yukihiro Yoshida2and Katsubumi Tajima1
1 Department of Cooperative Major in Life Cycle Design Engineering, Akita Univ., 1-1, Tegata Gakuen-machi, Akita 010-5802,
Japan
2 Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Akita Univ., 1-1, Tegata Gakuen-machi, Akita 010-5802, Japan
*E-mail: m8017902@s.akita-u.ac.jp

Abstract— A proposed axial gap induction motor
(AGIM) with an improved space factor using toroidal
winding exhibited double the output torque of a radial gap
induction motor (RGIM) of the same size. The structure of
the AGIM’s toroidal winding, in consideration of actual
machine production, was then studied, and the results of the
torque characteristics analyses were compared with those of
previous analyses. The actual machinery was made using a
powder core, and its maximum torque was 1.6 times that of
a finite element analysis RGIM when set at the same torque.
The high efficiency confirmed that the AGIM had
improved.
Keywords— induction motor, toroidal winding, axial gap
motor, finite element analysis.
which increases torque density [5]. Therefore, it was
expected that the torque density could be improved by
applying these techniques to IMs.
This study initially proposed an axial gap induction
motor (AGIM) with improved output torque
characteristic. First, the proposed design had the same
dimensions as that of a RGIM with a conventional
structure. Second, simulated results of the AGIM’s basic
properties were compared to those of the RGIM. The
proposed AGIM had an output torque density that was
1.60 times that of the conventional RGIM and an
efficiency improvement of 1.8 points at the operating
point of the maximum torque of the RGIM was obtained.

I. INTRODUCTION II. DESIGN METHOD

Recently, interest in environmental problems
represented by global warming is increasing yearly. A. Specifications of RGIM
Therefore, the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and Fig. 1 shows a conventional RGIM for comparison;
hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) has increased because the dimensions refer to the actual machine. The motor
they produce less carbon dioxide emissions than specifications are shown in Table 1. The motor diameter,
conventional vehicles. Permanent magnet synchronous the iron core thickness, coil end thickness, and the gap
motors (PMSMs) are widely used for EVs and HEVs width were 100, 30, 28, 0.35 mm, respectively. The
because of their high torque and high efficiency. distributed winding formed four poles.
However, owing to the rising price of rare earth metals
used in PMSMs, the development of high performance
rare earth-free motors is required [1], [2]. As an
alternative, induction motors (IMs) have several
advantages because of their simple structure with no
permanent magnet; they are able to rotate at high speed,
have a robust structure, and are not affected by soaring
rare earth metal prices. However, it is difficult to generate
high torque with IMs because of their magnet-free
structure; the excitation current is applied to the primary
100 14 30
winding, and there is a risk of heat generation and y
y y
magnetic saturation. Improvement of the torque density x
z x z x z
and efficiency of IMs is required [3].
Recently, several effective techniques for increasing Fig. 1. RGIM to be compared.
torque densities have been reported; it is easier to
increase the gap area of axial gap motors, which
improves the torque, compared to conventional motors
[4]. Toroidal winding, compared to distributed winding,
can improve the space factor and reduce coil end length,

©2018 IEEJ 2832

 The 2018 International Power Electronics Conference

TABLE I However, it was expected that the proposed AGIM

SPECIFICATION OF RGIM would be difficult to manufacture using only
Stator diameter 100 mm electromagnetic steel plates because the magnetic flux
Core thickness 30 mm flows in a three-dimensional (3D) manner and of the
Motor thickness 58 mm shape of the flange at the tip of the teeth. Therefore, a
Air gap length 0.35 mm
powder core was used to make a stator structure. Fig. 4
Number of poles 4
shows the BH characteristics of the laminated steel sheet
Number of slots (stator/rotor) 24/34
Winding method Distributed winding
and powder core. The powder core had lower relative
Number of windings 40 magnetic permeability and saturation magnetic flux
Wire diameter 0.5 mm density than those of the laminated steel sheet used for
Winding space factor 11% the RGIM. Fig. 5 shows the designed model and Table II
Secondary conductor lists the designed motor’s materials.
9.62 mm2
cross-sectional area
Stator core, Rotor core Laminated steel sheet 1.8
Coil Cu 1.6
Rotor Conductor Al 1.4
Shaft Air

Flux density B (T)

1.2
1
B. Design of AGIM 0.8
Fig. 2 shows the coil arrangement of the proposed 0.6 powder core
AGIM’s toroidal winding. The coils were wound 0.4 Laminated steel sheet
concentrically around the slot and the yoke; therefore, the 0.2
toroidal winding produced an equivalent magnetomotive
0
force to the distributed winding without interfering with 0 2000 4000 6000 8000
other coils. Compared to the RGIM, the winding space Magnetic field H (A/m)
factor was increased from 11% to 40%. The proposed
Fig. 4. BH characteristics of laminated steel sheet and powder
AGIM had a single stator and a double rotor, which
core.
increased the airgap area to generate a larger torque
compared to the conventional RGIM.

100 58
(a) U-phase (b) V-phase (c) W-phase y
y y
Fig. 2. Toroidal winding coil arrangement of the proposed axial
z x x
gap induction motor. z x z

Fig. 5. Overview of AGIM.

Fig. 3 shows an overview of one side of the rotors. The
cross-sectional area of the rotor conductor bar, the inner TABLE II
and outer diameter, and the slot opening width of the MATERIAL OF DESIGNED MOTOR
rotor are equivalent to those of RGIM rotor. Another Stator Core Powder core
rotor of similar shape is prepared to construct a double Rotor Core Powder core
rotor structure. Coil Cu
Rotor Conductor Al
Shaft Air

III. COMPARISON OF TORQUE CHARACTERISTIC

The torque characteristics of the proposed motor and
the RGIM were compared. In this study, the magnetic
field distribution in the slip state was analyzed by
y y y frequency response analysis using JMAG-Designer,
x
Version 16.0, software for three-dimensional finite
z x z x z element analysis (3D-FEA). The frequency range was
Fig. 3. Overview of rotor. determined at 50 Hz maximum from the operating
frequency of the actual machine. A current amplitude of

2833
 The 2018 International Power Electronics Conference

4 A was applied to the motor. Table III shows the 2D shape, and the difference between the inner diameter
analysis conditions of the FEA for the AGIM and RGIM. and the outer diameter was given as a thickness. The
Fig. 5 shows the torque–slip characteristics of the two rotor conductor was expressed by connecting the
motors, and Table IV shows the comparison of the conductor bar with the end-ring resistance of the external
maximum torque and torque density. The maximum circuit. Fig. 7 shows the 2D analytical model.
torque of the RGIM was 0.617 N·m, while it was 0.988 The analysis conditions are shown in Table V. The
N·m for the AGIM. The torque density of the RGIM was rotation speed was set from the rotation speeds at which
1.353 N·m/L, and 2.167 N·m/L for the AGIM. The the AGIM and RGIM exhibited maximum torque,
proposed AGIM provided 1.6 times the maximum torque respectively. The winding resistance was the measured
and torque density of the RGIM, even though the BH
value from the actual machine. The winding resistance of
characteristics of the powder core were lower than that of
the AGIM was measured by winding it in a stator shape
the laminated steel sheet.
with a 3D printer. The conductor resistance of the rotor
TABLE III was calculated from the shape.
ANALYSIS CONDITIONS
Simulation mode Frequency response analysis
Frequency range ~0.5–50 Hz
Step 31
Current amplitude 4A

1.2

1 AGIM RGIM
r

0.8
Torque T (N·m)

0.6 (a) Parting line (b) Extracted face

0.4

0.2

0
1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0
Slip s (c) Expanded face
Fig. 6. A method of replacing AGIM with a two-dimensional
Fig. 5. Torque – slip characteristic.
model.
TABLE IV
COMPARISON OF MAX TORQUE AND TORQUE DENSITY
RGIM AGIM
Max torque (N·m) 0.617 0.988
Volume (L) 0.456 0.456
Torque density (N·m/L) 1.353 2.167
Maximum torque ratio 1 1.601
Torque density ratio 1 1.601

IV. COMPARISON OF EFFICIENTRY

As a simple comparison, the current where the (a) RGIM
maximum torques of the two motors became equal was
analyzed. The AGIM input current was reduced to
equalize the torque. To analyze the efficiency, it was
necessary to analyze the transient response of the FEA (b) AGIM
because iron loss was calculated by FFT. However, since Fig. 7. Analysis model.
the induction motor is current induced to the rotor
conductor, a very long analysis time was required.
Therefore, to shorten the analysis time, the analysis target
was replaced with a two-dimensional (2D) model.
The method for replacing the AGIM with a 2D model
is illustrated in Fig. 6. A cylinder, with a diameter
bisecting the gap area of the stator, was developed into a

2834
 The 2018 International Power Electronics Conference

TABLE V 0.9
ANALYSIS CONDITIONS 0.8
Simulation mode 2D transient analysis
0.7
Simulation time (s) ~0–0.40
Time step (ms) 0.15625 0.6

Torque T (N·m)
Current amplitude (AGIM) 3.2 A 0.5
Current amplitude (RGIM) 4A 0.4
Frequency (Hz) 50 Hz 0.3 AGIM (Taverage = 0.595)
Slip 0.34
0.2 RGIM (Taverage = 0.579)
Winding resistance (AGIM) 2.097 Ω
0.1
Winding resistance (RGIM) 2.838 Ω
0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4
Fig. 8. shows the torque of the AGIM and RGIM from Time (s)
the transient response analysis. The torque of the AGIM,
Fig. 8. Torque of the AGIM and RGIM using transient response
T, was calculated as follows:
analysis.
T = F×r (1)
where, F is the electromagnetic force obtained by
analysis and r is the motor radius shown in Fig. 6. TABLE VI
Equation (1) was used because the AGIM replaced by the COMPARISON OF MOTOR LOSS AND EFFICIENCY
2D model was equal to the linear motor; the result was RGIM AGIM
outputted as electromagnetic force F. The average torque Primary copper loss (W) 61.7 42.1
Secondary copper loss (W) 31.4 50.7
was calculated from the results obtained between 0.35
Iron loss (W) 1.98 3.62
and 0.4 s, and it was confirmed that the torques of both Efficiency (%) 37.3 39.1
motors were consistent.
Table VI shows the primary copper loss, secondary V. CONCLUSION
copper loss, iron loss, and efficiency of each motor. The
This paper presented an induction motor with an axial
efficiency η was calculated as follows:
gap and toroidal winding structure. The complex shape of
ωT the AGIM was manufactured using a powder core.
η= (2)
ωT + Wcp + Wcs + Wi Testing of the proposed AGIM indicated that the
maximum torque and the torque density were up to 1.6
where, co is the motor angular velocity, Wcp is the times greater than a conventional RGIM. From these
primary copper loss, Wcs is the secondary copper loss, results, an advantage, with respect to high torque density,
and Wi is the iron loss. The efficiency was improved has been demonstrated by comparing the torque density
because the primary copper loss of the AGIM was greatly with a conventional RGIM. Future study will include
reduced compared to the RGIM. Secondary copper loss actual machine production and efficiency improvements.
and iron loss increased for the RGIM. Since the AGIM
has a double rotor structure, the secondary copper loss
and the iron loss of the rotor increased. The powder core REFERENCES
had greater iron loss compared to the electromagnetic [1] H. Arihara, K. Akatsu: “A Basic Property of Axial Type
steel plate at the analyzed frequency. There is a Switched Reluctance Motor”, ICEMS 2010, pp. 1681 -
1686 (2010).
possibility that the magnitude of the iron loss may be
[2] M. Obata, S. Morimoto, M. Sanada, Y. Inoue:
reversed when used at high rotation speeds. The “Characteristic of PMASynRM with Ferrite Magnets for
efficiency obtained from the result of the loss calculation EV/HEV Applications”, ICEMS 2012, DS3G2-7, (2012).
above was 37.3% for the RGIM and 39.1% for the [3] T. Nishiyama, K. Endo, A. Matsuda: In-wheel Motor
AGIM; thus, an improvement of 1.8 points was Genri to Sekkei (in Japanese), p.128, (Kagaku Joho
Syuppan, Ibaraki, 2004).
confirmed. The value of this efficiency was calculated at
[4] Aydin, S. Huang, T. A. Lipo: “Axial flux permanent
the maximum torque point of the RGIM and not its magnet disc machines: A review”, WEMPEC Research
maximum efficiency. Efficiency could be further Report 2004-10, (2004).
improved by undertaking an optimum design study. [5] Y. Iwai, Y. Yoshida, K. Tajima: “Consideration of
Because this value was obtained from a 2D analysis, it is Efficiency Improvement of Ferrite Magnet Motor with
Toroidal Winding”, The papers of Technical Meeting on
not accurate, and loss and efficiency changed owing to Magnetics IEEJ, MAG 15-117 (2015).
slip; therefore, further verification is required.

2835