Topic: Motors and Controllers

EV Powertrain (EVP)
Course: EE6109
Instructor: Prof. Sandeep Anand

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 Electric Motors in EV powertrain

• Powertrain/Electric Propulsion
system convert the on board
electrical energy to the desired
mechanical motion.
• Key element of Electric
Propulsion system are:
• Electric Machine
• Power Electronics
• Vehicle Controller

Modern Electric, Hybrid Electric, and Fuel Cell Vehicles Fundamentals, Theory, and Design Mehrdad Ehsani, Yimin Gao, E. Gay, Ali Emadi Page – 45

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 Electric motor in EV
1. Function: The core function of an electric motor in an EV is to convert electrical energy
stored in the vehicle’s battery into mechanical energy to drive the wheels. This is achieved
through the interaction of magnetic fields within the motor.
2. Features: Electric Motor

1. Efficiency of 80 – 90% of the electrical energy from the battery into mechanical
energy, whereas ICEs typically have efficiencies around 20-30%.
2. Provide instant torque from the standstill resulting in smooth and rapid acceleration.
3. Instead of dissipating the kinetic energy as heat, the motor acts as a generator to
convert some of this energy back into electrical energy, which is stored in the battery.
4. Electric motors have fewer moving parts compared to ICEs, which leads to lower
maintenance requirement and increased reliability.

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 Electric Motors in EV powertrain
The electric motor plays a central role in the drivetrain of an electric vehicle (EV), serving as the primary
component that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy to propel the vehicle.

• Requirements of electric machines for EVs:

• High torque density and high power density
• Wide speed range and high-speed cruising
• High efficiency over wide torque and speed ranges
• Wide constant-power operating capability
• High torque capability for electric launch and hill climbing
• High intermittent overload capability for overtaking
• High reliability and robustness for vehicular environment
• Low acoustic noise
• Reasonable cost

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 Classification of EV machines

PMSM

Classification of electric machines for EVs (machines in bold have been applied to EVs)
Electric Vehicle Machines and Drives, Design, Analysis, and Application by K. T. Chau Page: 7

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DC Motor Operating Principle

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DC Motor & Controller
Basic operation of DC Motor
Types of DC Motor
Force = iLxB
Voltage = VxBL
Gives:
E = k phy omega
Torque = k phy Ia
Torque-speed characteristics of separately excited dc motor
Field weaking
DC-DC Buck Converter (without inductor) (Class A chopper)
Modification for bi-directional power flow
Torque speed control – normal mode, field weaking controller

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 Different electric motors in EVs
1. Series wound DC motors:
• Working Principle: The field windings and armature windings are connected in series.
• Advantages: High torque at low speeds and simple control.
• Disadvantages: Lower efficiency, higher maintenance due to brushes and limited speed range.
• Applications: Mostly used in older EV designs and some industrial vehicles.

Lunar roving vehicle using series DC motor

drive: 4 motors of 190W each in 1971
80:1 gear ratio
Range – 92 kms

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 Different electric motors in EVs
4. Brushless DC motor (BLDC):
• Working Principle: Uses a permanent magnet rotor and a stator with windings. Electronic commutation replaces the
mechanical commutation of brushed DC motors. Differ from PMSM motor in terms of back EMF of machine (trapezoidal)
• Advantages: High efficiency, good performance, and low maintenance due to lack of brushes.
• Disadvantages: More complex and potentially higher cost due to the need for sophisticated electronic components and rare
earth magnets
• Applications: Used in various light EVs, e-bikes and some electric scooters

Breakdown of BLDC motor PM rotor of BLDC motor Unwound stator of BLDC Mahindra treo yaari
motor

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 BLDC Motor: Operating Principle

Basic operating principle – derived from conventional dc motor

1.DC machine diagram with 2 conductors

1. AC current required
2. Uses brushes and commutators
1. Inversion
2. Synchronize with position
3. If use inverter (wires will twist)
2.BLDC
1. Exchange rotor and inverter
2. Show operation with 2 conductors - single phase
1. Magnets 120* each with 60* gap each side
3. Show torque produced with alternating current
4. Show back emf waveform
3. Single phase inverter
4. Toque not constant – large ripple
5. 3 phase inverter

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BLDC Motor: Operating Principle

Rotor and stator reference

A Phase B Phase C Phase

Let,
𝛾 = 𝐶𝑜𝑖𝑙 𝑃𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ = 120°
𝛽 = 𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑛𝑒𝑡 𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ = 160°

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BLDC Motor: Operating Principle

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BLDC Motor: Operating Principle
Hall Sensor in position sensing

Hall sensors placed 120° electrically

apart provide exact rotor position
information after every 60°.

Fig 1. Hall sensors placed 120° Fig 2. Hall sensors output with rotor
electrically apart position

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 𝐼𝑑𝑐
−𝐼𝑑𝑐

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Torque speed characteristics

Field weakening
• Permanent magnets, how to do field weakening?
• Field weakening can take maximum speed to 2
times the base speed
• Done by injecting quadrature axis current
• If current and voltage are sinusoidals
• Main current is in phase with voltage
• Thus 90* from flux
• Injecting 90* current, affects the flux
• In BLDC using advancement in current angle

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BLDC Motor Drawings

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 Slots in the stator for hall sensor
Fabricated stator

MH182MST Hall effect

sensor
Fully fabricated and assembled
Cost – Rs. 30
prototype

PCB Design and fabrication for hall sensors

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BLDC Motor Controller

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BLDC Motor: Control

Open Loop Control

Current Control
Hysteresis control
Average current control

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Types of Magnets
1. Alnicos (Al, Ni, Co, Fe)
2. Ceramics (ferrites), for example, barium ferrets BaOx6Fe2O3 ands trontium ferrite SrOx6Fe2O3
3. Rare-earth materials, that is, samarium–cobalt SmCO and neodymium–iron–boron NdFeB.

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Types of Magnets
Alnico: high magnetic remanent flux density and
low-temperature coefficients.
The temperature coefficient of its remanent magnetic
flux density B r , or remanence, is 0.02%/ºC and the
maximum temp of 520*C
Unfortunately, coercive force is very low and the
demagnetization curve is extremely nonlinear
Dominated the PM industry from the mid-1940s to
about 1970

Ferrite: Barium and strontium ferrites were invented

in the 1950s. Better coercive force, lower remanent
flux density. High temp coefficients. The coefficient of
Br is 0.20%/ºC

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Types of Magnets
Rare Earth Magnets:
Samarium–cobalt (SmCo5) was invented in the
1960s and has been produced commercially since the
early 1970s.
High remanent flux density, high coercive force, high-
energy production, linear demagnetization curve, and
low temperature coefficient
Temperature coefficient of B r is 0.03 to 0.045%/ºC
Max operating temp 250 to 300*C
A bit expensive
Neodymium–iron–boron NdFeB: lowering raw
material cost
Better magnetic property then SmCo5
Poor temp coeff. The temperature coefficient of Br is
0.095 to 0.15%/ºC
Max temp about 150 – 200*C

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Construction: Surface vs interior mount

Surface Mount Interior Mount

Field weakening capability

Reluctance torque

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Construction BLDC vs PMSM

BLDC PMSM
Flux density is square / quazi-square in space Flux density is sinusoidal in space
Windings are concentrated Windings are sinusoidal distributed

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 Different electric motors in EVs
3. Permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSM):
• Working Principle: Uses permanent magnets embedded in rotor to create a constant magnetic field
• Advantages: High efficiency, high power density, and excellent performance in terms of torque and speed control.
• Disadvantages: Higher cost due to the use of rare-earth magnets.
• Applications: Commonly used in many modern EVs, including those from Tesla Nissan and Chevrolet.

Ather 450X
PMSM motor

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SRM: Operating Principle

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 Different electric motors in EVs
5. Switched reluctance motors:
• Working Principle: Relies on the reluctance principle, where the rotor moves to a position of minimum reluctance in the
magnetic field.
• Advantages: Simple and robust design, no need for permanent magnets or conductors in rotor, and can operate at high
temperature
• Disadvantages: Higher acoustic noise and vibration and requires complex control algorithms. Lower power density as compared
to PMSM
• Applications: Increasingly explored for use in EVs due to their potential for cost savings and robustness.

Ventium wind pitch SRM motors

By enedym

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SynRM: Operating Principle

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 Different electric motors in EVs
6. Synchronous reluctance motors (SynRM):
• Working Principle: Combines aspects of both synchronous and reluctance motors, using rotor position and reluctance
torque for operation.
• Advantages: No need for permanent magnets, simpler construction, and potentially lower cost.
• Disadvantages: Lower efficiency and power density compared to PMSM
• Applications: Not as widely used yet in EVs, but gaining interest for future applications.

Synchronous Reluctance motor (SynRM)

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 Different electric motors in EVs
2. Induction motors:
• Working Principle: Uses electromagnetic induction to generate the magnetic field in the rotor.
• Advantages: Robust, reliable and relatively inexpensive to produce. No need for permanent magnets.
• Disadvantages: Slightly lower efficiency compared to PMSM, particularly at lower speeds
• Applications: Used in some Tesla models (e.g. Model S, Model X)

Induction motor Tesla Model S

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 Motor Parameters:
• Rated Power – The rated power of a motor refers o the maximum continuous power output it can deliver without overheating or sustaining

damage, usually specified by the manufacturer. It is typically measured in watts (W), kilowatts (kW), or horsepower (hp).

• Peak power – Peak power is the maximum power that a motor can generate for short periods of time before overheating or mechanical failure.

• Rated torque - Rated torque is the torque that a motor can continuously deliver without overheating or sustaining damage. It is the torque

associated with the motor's rated power and speed.

• Peak torque - Peak torque refers to the maximum torque a motor can produce for a short period of time. It is the highest torque the motor can

generate under ideal conditions, typically for starting or accelerating.

• Base /rated speed (RPM) - The rated speed of a motor is the speed at which the motor operates when it is delivering its rated power and rated

torque.

• Voltage rating – The nominal voltage at which the motor is designed to operate.

• Current rating – The amount of current the motor draws under normal operating conditions.

• Stall torque – It is the maximum torque that the motor will generate when the rotor is blocked from rotating.

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 Transient / Peak - Torque / Power

Continuous torque rating vs peak torque rating

Insulation temperature
Magnet temperature

Permanent-Magnet Synchronous Motor SS7-Series Eco PM Motor

https://www.swiftsupplies.com.au/news-tips-and-guides/electrical-insulation-temperature-classes-explained/

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 Motor parameters: Examples

https://cdn.komachine.com/media/company-catalog/higen-motor-11232_gvpfls.pdf

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 Motor parameters – example

LSRPM - PLSRPM permanent magnet synchronous motors 18 kW to 500 kW Dyneo® Motors & Drives Dyneo® Motors & Drives Powerdrive FX & MD2 variable speed drives/LSRPM-
PLSRPM permanent magnet synchronous motors

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Thank you

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