Experimental Investigation of Manufacturing Constrained Induction Motor to PMSM Conversion for Direct-Drive Agricultural Ventilation Systems

Large-diameter axial ventilation fans are widely used in poultry houses to regulate ai flow, temperature, and air quality. However, conventional induction motors driving these fans typically operate at fixed speed and suffer efficiency degradation under low-speed, high-torque conditions due to slip-induced rotor copper losses. This study presents an experimental investigation of a manufacturing constrained conversion of a commercial induction motor platform into a direct-drive surface permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). Instead of developing a completely new motor design, the proposed approach reuses the existing stator lamination, housing structure, and winding production process while redesigning the rotor electromagnetic structure to incorporate surface-mounted permanent magnets. Experimental testing was conducted using a dynamo meter-based measurement system to evaluate the performance of both the commercial induction motor and the converted PMSM prototype. The results show that the commercial induction motor exhibits significant efficiency degradation at high torque due to increased slip, whereas the PMSM eliminates slip-dependent rotor copper losses and maintains efficiencies above 88% within the typical ventilation operating range of 650–750 rpm. This study further relates airflow demand to rotational speed using fan affinity laws, highlighting the cubic relationship between speed and input power and demonstrating the energy-saving potential of variable-speed PMSM drives. The proposed conversion framework therefore provides a practical pathway for improving the energy efficiency of agricultural ventilation systems while maintaining compatibility with existing motor manufacturing infrastructure.