Abstract
The PRIN 2022 project “TUrBO – the next 100,000+rpm synchronous reluctance motor drives” aims to develop a new technology for ultra-high-speed electrical drives based on synchronous reluctance (SyncRel) machines that are completely free of permanent magnets (PM-free). The goal is to overcome the current operational limit of 20–30,000 rpm and reach 100,000 rpm. The central idea is to combine the potential of two emerging technologies – multi-material Additive Manufacturing (AM) and high-frequency, multilevel power converters based on wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors – to produce an electric drive system with high efficiency, high power density, and compactness, suitable for multiple civil and industrial applications. Context and motivations- High-speed machines are increasingly used in strategic sectors such as: • Industrial and aerospace compressors and fans, • Turbines for distributed micro-generation, • Electric turbocharger systems, • Pumps for electric vehicles and fuel cells, • Medical devices (ventilators, centrifuges), • Precision tools, vacuum pumps, and dental instruments. Currently, these applications are predominantly based on permanent magnet (PM) motors, which offer high efficiency and torque density. However, the growing instability of the rare-earth market – with critical elements such as neodymium and dysprosium being almost entirely controlled by China – forces the development of sustainable, reliable, and more easily recyclable technological alternatives. In this perspective, SyncRel motors, which are free of permanent magnets, represent a promising solution but have so far been inadequate for applications above 30,000 rpm due to mechanical and magnetic limitations in traditional rotors. TUrBO intends to overcome these limits by exploiting the potential of multi-material 3D printing to produce quasi-solid anisotropic rotors that ensure mechanical robustness at extreme speeds and optimized magnetic performance. At the same time, the adoption of an open-end winding configuration enabled by a dual-inverter system will expand the constant-power range and improve the overall efficiency of the system. Goals- System Architecture and Proposed Innovations The aim of the project is the construction of a 1 kW electrical drive demonstrator, capable of operating beyond 100,000 rpm, with the following characteristics: • 2-pole SyncRel motor, with a 3D-printed rotor using two materials (ferromagnetic and non-magnetic) to ensure the required anisotropy and to withstand high centrifugal stresses. • Dual-inverter multilevel converter based on WBG components (GaN), capable of providing sinusoidal voltages with reduced current ripple and a unity power factor. • Advanced sensorless control system based on System-on-Chip (SoC) technology, capable of operating at high frequencies (>40 kHz), optimizing performance even under conditions of magnetic saturation or thermal variations. • Intelligent modulation algorithms, featuring dynamic management of the floating capacitor bridge voltage and advanced PWM techniques to reduce switching losses and contain electromagnetic emissions.
Project details
Unibo Team Leader: Luca Zarri
Unibo involved Department/s:
Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Energia Elettrica e dell'Informazione "Guglielmo Marconi"
Coordinator:
Politecnico di TORINO(Italy)
Total Unibo Contribution: Euro (EUR) 88.000,00
Project Duration in months: 24
Start Date:
28/09/2023
End Date:
28/02/2026
