Comparative Analysis of Ferrite PMSGs Based on Optimal Designs

Abstract

This paper presents a performance analysis of four topologies of permanent magnet synchronous generators (PMSG) generating power for a 3 kW, 220 V, three-phase, Y-connected resistive load, based on a methodology for the optimal design of PMSG using ferrite permanent magnets. The optimal designs of the machines, intended for small wind turbines, use multidisciplinary optimization models and a deterministic algorithm. As high power density is desired, only flux concentration topologies that allow high values of magnetic induction in the air gap were proposed, including inner and outer rotor machines. For the inner rotor conventional machines, both an integer and a fractional number of slots per pole per phase were proposed. A conventional and a vernier radial flux machine, both of them with outer rotor and fractional number of slots per pole per phase, were also considered. After validation of each optimal design by a finite element analysis software, the more convenient number of pole for each topology was identified, observing that the vernier machine presented the lowest torque ripple, the highest power density and the lowest active material cost among the four topologies of PMSGs.