First steps toward high-speed motors for fuel cell components

The transport sector is reworking in direction of climate-friendly powertrains with considerably diminished CO₂ emissions. The electrification of powertrains stays a serious problem not just for vans, buses, trains, and ships but in addition for plane. These purposes can’t be realized sooner or later with batteries due to the power necessities. The gas cell is a particularly promising power provider for these purposes, which provides electrical power from saved hydrogen and ambient air.

Fraunhofer Institutes LBF, IFAM, IISB, and SCAI joined their forces to develop superior and extremely environment friendly parts for gas cells. The undertaking HABICHT goals to design and develop a high-speed motor for a gas cell compressor to allow innovation within the utility car and aviation area. The electrical machine ought to a minimum of obtain an influence density of 30 kW/kg through the use of progressive supplies for direct cooling of the stator and maximizing the rotor’s high-speed functionality (

Present standing: First design based mostly on analytical and numerical calculations

Based mostly on the speedy definition of the specs, a viable idea for electromagnetic design has been developed with analytical and numerical assist. The work was carried out in interplay with structural-mechanical investigations on the pace stability of the everlasting magnets in addition to with thermal investigations on the mandatory cooling capability, which is assured by the mixture of cooling jacket, hole rotor shaft, and thermal connection of the winding head with a dielectric fluid. Inside HABICHT, Fraunhofer SCAI is accountable for multi-physics modeling and the setup of a wise design setting for electrical engines.

Future work: Optimization and benchmarking

The longer term work is concentrated on optimization of the present working design and execution in a way appropriate for manufacturing. For this objective, diminished take a look at carriers are for use for stator winding, electrical insulation, banding, sheet metallic reducing, bonding, and magnet shaping, amongst different issues, previous to the development of the whole system. The forming of cooling channels fashioned throughout potting is to be solved by way of course of and materials expertise based mostly on the literature research already carried out. The variation of the HABICHT machine to an current turbo compressor is to be realized with appropriate however on the identical time typical shaft and bearing expertise, whereby the frequency-dependent inherent dynamics of the mechanical shifting elements are to be decided prematurely.

The HABICHT undertaking is supported by exterior advisors from aviation, e-mobility, suppliers, and academia. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Ulm from Heilbronn College of Utilized Sciences sees glorious potential within the undertaking outcomes for future necessities and purposes from the business:

“The undertaking includes the event of recent applied sciences within the subject of high-speed electrical drives within the software for gas cells and units new requirements, which in flip level the way in which for future developments. The high-speed rotor, which poses a problem by way of its mechanical, thermal and electromagnetic design, is of nice significance right here. This undertaking is a superb instance of pioneering high-tech product improvement at the side of simultaneous supplies and measurement improvement and simulation expertise.”

Supplied by
Fraunhofer Institute for Algorithms and Scientific Computing (SCAI)