Design Considerations of Permanent Magnet Transverse Flux Machines

Permanent magnet transverse flux machine (PMTFM) is well known for its high torque density and is interested in various direct-drive applications. Due to its complicated 3-D flux components, design and design optimization of a PMTFM is more difficult and time consuming than for radial flux electrical machines. This paper addresses two important design considerations for PMTFM—the influence of permanent magnet leakage flux, which plays an important role in the determination of machine output torque, and the leakage inductance. A new simple method to provide a quick estimation of the armature leakage inductance is proposed, avoiding use of complicated 3-D equivalent reluctance network model to estimate the circumferential armature leakage flux component, and the pole face fringing flux component. Analysis results are supported by 2-D, and 3 D finite element (FE) analysis results, and measurement results on a prototype surface-mounted PMTFM.