Prototype Evaluation of Axial Gap Motor with Soft Magnetic Composite Cores

Soft magnetic composites cores (SMC cores) were prepared by compacting developed insulated pure iron powder. Their iron losses in both sinusoidal excitation and inverter excitation were evaluated. Compared to stacked cores made of commonly used electrical steel sheets, the SMC cores show lower eddy current losses, and exhibit lower iron losses than the stacked cores at frequencies above approximately 1 kHz under sinusoidal excitation, and above approximately 400 Hz under inverter excitation. Next, a prototype axial gap motor was designed by electromagnetic field analysis based on a commercially available radial gap motor as a model. The prototyped axial gap motor has achieved a 48% reduction in its axial length and a 40% reduction in its weight.