Substantial motor power density improvements are needed to meet Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) goals, which is ultimately an economically viable eighty-mile-per-gallon hybrid electric vehicle for the automotive industry. Switch reluctance motors (SRM) offer reasonably high efficiency over a variable power and speed range at low cost. This project will develop a SRM with an innovative high temperature coil that would increase power density and reduce cost per kilowatt. By increasing the maximum allowable motor temperature, the power output can be increased while the amount of required magnetic material decreases. Thus the overall weight and the associated material cost are reduced, for a given power output. Phase I will design and develop a high temperature 50 kW switch reluctance traction motor using a high temperature coil that was previously developed for high temperature (1200^oF) magnetic bearings. The major technical challenges are motor integration, manufacturing for cost, and rotor cooling. Prototype construction and testing is planned for Phase II.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: A high temperature SRM should result in higher power density, lower cost traction motors, thereby contributing to PNGV goals and the production of a commercially viable electric and/or hybrid-electric vehicle. Other applications include high-power industrial drives, turbo-alternators, and other power-dense machines. Further, the technology is applicable to other power-dense equipment such as power electronics.