Performance Assessment of Ferrite-Assisted Synchronous Reluctance Motors for Traction Applications

The paper presents a feasibility study on Synchronous Reluctance motors with and without the assistance of ferrite permanent magnets in the field of traction application. Three prototypes with slightly different specification will be compared in terms of electromagnetic performance figures, considering the effect on key performance indicators of the initial design choices and constraints. An example of permanent magnet motor with rare-earth magnets is selected as reference, to enhance the pros and cons of the rare-earth-free solutions. Furthermore, the environmental impact of the four motors will be considered, both in general terms and through specific indicators.