Thermal Performance of Segmented Stator Teeth Topologies for Electric Motors

Different topologies for individual stator teeth as modular electric motor components are investigated via several different metrics such as finite element analysis (FEA), winding methodologies, and thermal performance during electrical power loading. These are easily quantifiable metrics which allow for the direct comparison of the different topologies, particularly with respect to the concentrated windings of the copper wire around the stator teeth. The paper assesses temperature rise, heat dissipation, and the role of air gaps within the copper wire windings. The results show that the winding via robot resulted in 30 (±5)% lower temperature rises on average compared to commercial (hairpin) winding systems, due to more ordered winding which results in larger air gaps between the wires. The air gaps appear to play a critical role in the thermal performance of the stator windings. It is also shown that the different topologies affect thermal performance during electrical loading, suggesting that the different topologies could be useful in different applications.