Design procedure of a small-size axial flux motor with Halbach-type permanent magnet rotor and SMC cores

The paper proposes a novel configuration of a direct-drive single-side axial flux motor for hydraulic pump applications. The use of soft magnetic composites (SMC) for the rotor core and the stator poles enables a compact design, efficient and smooth operation, particularly profitable for home appliances. The electromagnetic analysis is carried out by simplified 2D finite element (FE) models, taking into account both the unconventional PM magnetization and the 3D end effects due to the specific geometric configuration by suitable correcting procedures. By the proposed approach, the influence of different design parameters on the motor performances can be investigated, to optimize the stator active material exploitation. The results are verified by both full 3D FE analyses and some measurements on a preliminary prototype.