A High Torque Density Magnetic Geared Switched Reluctance Motor for In-wheel Applications

Electric motors with high torque density are sought after in applications where equipment footprint is constrained. Low speed high torque output is often derived from electric motors with mechanical gears. Magnetic gears developed in recent years promise performance parameters competitive to mechanical gears with additional benefits. Magnetic gear integrated permanent magnet motors are being extensively investigated for their high torque density and noiseless operation. This paper proposes a novel magnetic gear integrated switched reluctance motor topology with enhanced torque and power density. A unique multi-functional rotor structure is proposed that can develop as well as transmit mechanical energy by motoring and magnetic gearing actions respectively. The proposed integration method results in a compact gear integrated reluctance motor topology with high volumetric torque density and reduced PM usage. The design is evaluated for performance by finite element analysis.