Claw-pole line-start permanent-magnet synchronous motor design and development

A new concept of three-phase permanent-magnet synchronous motor with rotor embedded starting squirrel-cage is presented. The rotor has been equipped with ring shaped inner permanent magnets axially-magnetized and placed between consecutive claw poles built as ferromagnetic modular pieces. The start and the steady operation of the manufactured prototype have been experimentally tested. Results such as static and dynamic torque, efficiency and power factor have been determined and discussed in the paper. A numerical analysis of the prototype has been also conducted using a 3-D FEM-based software.