Summary on: Design and Experimental Verification of a Linear Permanent Magnet

Generator for a Free-Piston Energy Converter

I. Introduction
Free-piston energy converter (FPEC) converts chemical energy directly to electrical
energy, and is a potential energy efficient power source for use in a series hybrid vehicle
power-train. The free-piston principle provides different possibilities for the realization of
advanced combustion techniques such as homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI),
in which air-fuel mixture ignition occurs when gas pressure and temperature exceed optimum
values during the compression stroke. The piston velocity can be controlled by sufficient
regulation of the output power of the integral electrical system on each stroke to achieve
proper timing for HCCI. The free-piston energy converter also prevents the need for a
mechanism for the crankshaft and allows operation of variable compression ratios.
The linear electrical machine is a key element of an FPEC. Thus, the paper focuses on
issues that are pertinent to its design optimization and the realization of such a free-piston
energy converter.

II. Linear permanent magnet generator for FPEC

A 3-phase, 9-slot/10-pole permanent tubular magnet (PM) machine equipped with a
modular stator winding in which the coils of each phase are placed adjacent to each other was
described as the most suitable for this application. It offers significant advantages compared
to traditional tubular PM machines in terms of high-power density and efficiency, low
cogging force and ease of manufacture.
The moving-magnet armature employs quasi-Halbach magnetized magnets, each pole
comprising a radially magnetized magnet and an axially magnetized magnet to produce an
essentially sinusoidally distributed air-gap flux density. Feature of the quasi-Halbach
magnetization is that the axially magnetized magnets essentially provide a return path for the
radial air-gap flux, and, hence, the flux in the inner bore of the armature is relatively small.
The PMs can be mounted on a high strength, nonmagnetic support tube without
significantly compromising the thrust force capability, thereby greatly reducing the mass of
the moving piston and armature assembly, which is essential for achieving a high-power
output from an FPEC.
The stator magnetomotive force (mmf) distribution of the 9-slot/10-polemodular
machine normalized to the ampere-turns per slot divided by the width of the stator slot
openings. When the stator winding is excited with balanced 3-phase currents, it produces
forward traveling space harmonic mmfs, backward traveling space harmonic mmfs, and zero
triplen harmonics. The thrust force is developed by the interaction of the 5th space harmonic
mmf with the 10-pole PM field.
The lower and higher order mmf harmonics travel at different speeds to the armature,
and induce eddy current losses in both the PMs and the support tube (if it is electrically
conducting), and may cause other undesirable effects such as localized core saturation, noise,
and vibration.
III. Design optimization
It follows that the design parameters which have the most important effect on
performance for a given stator outer radius are the dimensional ratios, the magnet thickness
and the length of the air gap. As magnet thickness is increased the performance improves.
The magnet thickness is fixed (at 6 mm) to produce an acceptable air-gap flux density
and thrust force density, while providing the required demagnetization withstand capability.
The air-gap length is also assumed to be constant (at 1 mm), since although a smaller air-gap
length would also improve the performance, it is limited by manufacturing tolerances as well
as the stiffness and the static and dynamic radial run-out of the moving-magnet armature.
Multiple design objectives (maximizing the machine and power electronic converter
system efficiency with minimum system cost) are sought subject to satisfying other design
specifications, such as the mass of the moving armature being less than 6 kg.
The optimization process is treated through a heuristic approach in which the
influence of the leading design parameters on the key system performance and cost
indicators, such as force density, efficiency, power factor, and converter volt-amps (VA)
rating are investigated.
This ratio represents an optimal condition under which the combined effect of the
radially and axially magnetized magnets results in the maximum force production capability
for a given thermal constraint. It can also be shown that this optimal ratio is not reliant on the
pole-pitch.

IV. Prototype and experimental results

The measured phase resistances are, however, about 15% higher than predicted, since
the resistance of the inter-phase/coil connection leads, is not included in the prediction. The
flux linkage of each phase as a function of the armature displacement was measured, using a
flux meter and linear position encoder. The measured flux-linkage waveforms agree well
with the predicted waveforms, and exhibit 120 ◦ electrical degree symmetry between phases.
The thrust force of the generator was measured using a load cell and locking the armature at
fixed positions and exciting the phase windings with appropriate currents.

V. Conclusion
This machine topology is shown to have attractive features in terms of its high-power
density, high efficiency, low cogging force and low moving mass, which are important to
achieving a high output power from an FPEC. The tubular machine's performance has been
analyzed both analytically and by FE calculations, and it has been shown that the machine's
design can be optimized with respect to three core dimensional ratios with due consideration
for the VA rating and the related power electronic converter loss.