Permanent Magnet Assisted Synchronous Reluctance Motor for Subway Trains

With the growing demand and projected shortage of rare earth elements in the near future, the urgent task of developing energy-efficient electrical equipment with less dependence on rare earth magnets has become paramount. The use of permanent magnet-assisted synchronous reluctance motors (PMaSynRMs), which reduce the consumption of rare earth magnets, can help solve this problem. This article presents a theoretical analysis of the characteristics of PMaSynRM in a subway train drive. Options with rare earth and ferrite magnets are considered. Optimization of the motor designs considering the train movement cycle is carried out using the Nelder-Mead method. Characteristics of the motors, such as losses, torque ripple, and inverter power rating, as well as the mass and cost of active materials, are compared.