Influence of eddy current losses in the optimization of linear coreless BLDC motors with PCB windings

Abstract

This paper presents a series of numerical models aimed at estimating the main characteristics of linear coreless BLDC motors for the optimal sizing of these latter. The paper concentrates on windings printed on PCB. This kind of winding offers opportunities to significantly improve motors' performance, although it is more subject to eddy current losses than wire windings. Therefore, considering the harmonics contained in the airgap magnetic field, the work especially focus on the development of a 2D FEM model able to estimate these eddy currents in the copper tracks. The objective is to evaluate the eddy current harmonics and to adapt the winding shape and the motor dimensions, accordingly. The final aim of this work is therefore to propose full motor optimizations for various operating points and to observe the evolution of its optimal configuration.