A Novel Sleeve Design to Reduce the Eddy Current Loss of High-Speed Electrical Machines

Demand for high-speed motors is increasing. Surface-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motors (SPMSM) used in high-speed applications have magnets attached to the rotor, so there is a risk of damage and scattering due to centrifugal force as the speed increases. For this reason, applying the retaining sleeve to the rotor is essential. However, when using sleeves, there is a problem of reducing efficiency due to eddy current loss. In this paper, a study was conducted on a motor for a 100 kW building air conditioning system operating at a speed of 20,000 rpm. The purpose of the study is to reduce eddy current loss by optimizing the sleeve geometry. To this end, 3D finite element analysis (FEA) using JMAG 22.1 was conducted to analyze eddy current loss, the minimum safety factor was analyzed through mechanical stiffness analysis using ANSYS Workbench, and the validity of sleeve shape was proved through cause analysis. Through the research results, it is expected that the shape change of the sleeve will have the effect of reducing eddy current loss.