Ring motor front wheel for electric motorcycle applications
Cheng, Leslie
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/105061
Description
Title
Ring motor front wheel for electric motorcycle applications
Author(s)
Cheng, Leslie
Issue Date
2019-04-19
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Haran, Kiruba S.
Department of Study
Electrical & Computer Eng
Discipline
Electrical & Computer Engr
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
M.S.
Degree Level
Thesis
Keyword(s)
Ring motor
electric motorcycle
electric vehicle
wheel
Abstract
This thesis examines the design process of a ring motor meant for replacing the front wheel of an electric motorcycle for performance benefits such as traction and additional acceleration. Gas motorcycles are unable to power the front wheel without some degree of mechanical complexity, but electric machinery is not subject to the same constraints because it can be integrated within the wheel itself. The ring motor is designed by first using calculations and verifying the performance through various simulation software such as Motor-CAD, and a thermal test for heat pipes is performed. A concept for packaging it is presented at the end.
The machine is designed as a permanent magnet synchronous motor with an outer rotor. Minimizing weight while retaining performance was achieved by using various means, such as increasing the number of poles to reduce the rotor thickness and using finite element analysis to examine the flux density. The lack of coupling between teeth allowed the stator to be thinned greatly, but the active region is quite heavy because of the usage of materials much denser than aluminum.
The design of a 40 kW ring motor is described based on constraints given by the original wheel and tire used. The final design required lowering output power to 32 kW due to heat issues, but it is quite viable and efficient enough for practical usage. The packaging concept shows a possible way to enclose the active portion while integrating cooling as well.
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