High-Speed Synchronous Reluctance Motors with Additively Manufactured Rotors

The research aims to design and test a novel high-speed synchronous reluctance motor that competes commercially with the PM synchronous motor drives in the 100-200 krpm speed range. To push the synchronous reluctance motor well beyond the present technological barriers, additive manufacturing is the enabling solution for solid rotors exploiting magnetic anisotropy. The rated speed and rated power targets are 100,000 rpm and 1 kW, corresponding approximately to 100milliNm. The authors present the synchronous reluctance motor developed in the frame of the groundbreaking research project named 'TUrBO'. In particular, the paper articulates the material selection and its experimental characterizations, both from the mechanical and magnetic points of view, for the construction of innovative anisotropic multi-metallic material rotors.