Electric Motor Development for Shell Eco-Marathon: Manufacturing an ironless axial flux permanent magnet Motor with Hallbach array and Development of existing Motor for the Shell Eco-Marathon Competition

Abstract

This thesis describes the process of making a new engine for the car DNV Fuel Fighter 2 that participated in the Shell Eco-Marathon Europe 2012 in Rotterdam. The decision was made to construct a new engine based on an optimized design by Lubna Nasrin. The engine is an ironless axial flux permanent magnet machine with Hallbach array. As a contingency plan there was the possibility to modify the engine used in 2010 and 2011 built by André Dahl-Jacobsen. The result of the process is that the new engine is operational and it has displayed an efficiency of 68 %. However the old engine has displayed an efficiency of 86 %. Because of this, the car raced with the old engine and had an energy consumption of 163 km/kWh. It is still believed that the new engine can be a very successful engine given that it is modified. The new engine has room for improvement especially with regards to stator production and wiring connections. Suggestions are made for how to achieve a higher efficiency. This thesis describes some of the practical engineering challenges that arise when constructing a novel motor. The construction of the Hallbach array is well described here.This work has been a part of a larger project where the end goal was to participate in and win the Shell Eco Marathon Europe. This means that the engine must not only perform well on its own. The engine must also function well with the other components technically and it must be possible to make it with the time and resources available. The development of new technology is expensive and it has therefore been a priority to find funding for this project. This will also be described.