A Family of Phase-Unit Axial-Modular Permanent Magnet Vernier Machines for Electric Aircraft Hovering Propulsion System

In this paper, a family of phase-unit axial-modular permanent magnet Vernier machines (PUAM-PMVMs) with various stator topologies is proposed and analyzed. Firstly, the machine topologies of these proposed axial-modular designs are introduced, where the basic working principle and feature are analyzed and extracted. Secondly, the theoretical models of the axial-modular PMVMs are derived, e.g., armature MMF, back-EMF, and inductance, etc. Thirdly, the design requirements and specifications are frozen in terms of the basic requirements of propulsion system. Besides, the influencing factors are targeted and analyzed, e.g., slot-pole combination, winding configuration, and motor dimensions. To ensure a fair comparison between the PUAM models and conventional ones, multiple models are also developed and evaluated. Finally, the experimental results from the tested prototypes align well with the finite element analysis.