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Reducing the Cost of Electric Propulsion Motors Through Optimization of Stator Coils--Visual Computing Systems Corporation, 9540 Highway 150, P.O. Box 250, Greenville, IN 47124-0250; 812-923-7474
Mr. Roy Kessinger, Jr., Principal Investigator
Mr. Robert J. Westerkamp, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-98ER82709
Amount: $750,000
Traditional motor coils poorly utilize the available motor space for coil conductors because the wire geometry does not fit optimally into the coil structure. Therefore, the motors are larger and heavier than necessary, more costly to manufacture, and have lower motor power density and efficiency. This project will develop a motor stator coil that makes much better use of the available volume within a motor. This optimized motor coil will maximize the efficiency and power density of traction motors for use in hybrid electric vehicles, at a cost that will meet the demands of the automotive market. Phase I focused on the design of the optimized coil and the processes by which the coil could be economically manufactured. This resulted in a detailed model of a highly efficient motor coil, a prototype coil segment, and an assessment of options for future mass production of the optimized coil. Phase II will further develop the concepts for mass production, build a new motor utilizing the optimized coil, and install the motor in a sport utility vehicle. The result of Phase II will be a proven optimized motor design and a conceptual design for the large-scale manufacturing process required to produce it.
Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: The optimized coil design should apply to virtually all types of electric motors and should benefit many sectors of the transportation industry, as well as the industrial market. Benefits should be widespread throughout industries that depend heavily on high performance electric motors, from buses, locomotives, and automobiles to servo-motors and machine tools.