Modular Design of an Efficient Permanent Magnet Vernier Machine

The permanent-magnet Vernier (PMV) machine has been welcomed for direct-drive applications recently. Also, the fault tolerance is critical for special machine design in hostile conditions. This article proposes an efficient PMV machine with the modular winding configuration, which takes the fault-tolerant capability into account, especially the open-circuit fault. With the modular winding design, the better isolation between phases and modules can be obtained instead of dividing the stator core into segments. Meanwhile, the high efficiency needs to be guaranteed under both normal and partial-module operations. Therefore, the machine design, basic characteristics, and the fault-tolerant operation are performed and verified. Finally, the efficiency performances under normal and modular operations are analyzed and compared, which demonstrates the validity of the proposed idea and relevant considerations.