Prototype Low Voltage Homopolar Traction Motor
2002-01-1876
06/03/2002
- Event
- Content
- Lower battery voltage enhances electric vehicle safety. A homopolar traction motor operates at low voltage because of its low internal impedance, and delivers torque independent of speed. A 48 VDC multi-pass, iron core homopolar traction motor was designed, fabricated, and tested in the laboratory. A MOSFET pulse width modulated controller was also designed and tested. The motor weighed 227 kg and used solid copper-graphite brushes. Laboratory testing of the motor verified the current-torque characteristic, but high brush wear prevented full speed and power demonstration. System studies show that a hybrid Ward-Leonard drive using a similar motor could yield significant cost and weight savings and improved fault tolerance over a traditional EV architecture.
- Pages
- 20
- Citation
- Aanstoos, T., Beno, J., and Caprio, M., "Prototype Low Voltage Homopolar Traction Motor," SAE Technical Paper 2002-01-1876, 2002, https://doi.org/10.4271/2002-01-1876.