Novel multiphysics design methodology for coreless axial flux permanent magnet machines

This work is devoted to multiphysics design of coreless axial flux permanent magnet machines with concentrated coils. Recently, these machines have been proposed for the propulsion of civil miniature electric unmanned aerial vehicles, which need very high torque and power densities. Such requirements tend to be in contrast with other important features such as high efficiency and resilience, making the design quite challenging. Among the various geometrical parameters, the rotor poles to stator coils ratio plays a key role in their performance. The main contribution of this paper is the development of an original design method hinging upon the said ratio. The 2D electromagnetic model at the heart of the approach is derived at the average radius and accounts for multi-layer and axially thick stator coils. Additional contributions include the concurrent use of thermal modelling in the preliminary design stage and mechanical analyses in the design refinement stage aimed at optimizing torque density and guaranteeing rotor integrity at maximum speed. Comprehensive experimental tests on a full-scale prototype are reported and help build confidence in the proposed methodology.