Overview of Integrated Electric Motor Drives: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

Integrated Motor Drives (IMDs) have recently received extensive attention. In electric vehicles (EVs), electric propulsion aircraft, and ship propulsion systems, integrated motors have the great potential to replace traditional motors with the distinct merits of compact size, high power density, high efficiency, and high-cost effectiveness. This paper investigates and reviews integrated motor drives’ development and critical technologies. It not only reveals the research progress of the motor structure, converter, volume optimization, heat dissipation design, and weakening electromagnetic interference of integrated motor drives but also explores in detail the applications of wide-bandgap semiconductors and the integration of LCL filters. In addition, this paper also puts forward the concept of integrated motor drive integration level and establishes a corresponding quantitative method to evaluate IMDs integration level. In the future, integrated wireless motor drives will have a broad scope of research and application. IMDs systems will play an important role in applications requiring high power density, providing solutions to motor system size and heat dissipation problems. This overview will help clarify the opportunities, challenges, and future development of IMDs.

Research Progress of Enhanced Thermal Evacuation and Cooling Technology for High-Speed Motors

“…Zhang et al found that motor power density has become a major concern in electric motor research, as shown in Figure 22. The application direction thus shifted to power systems for electric propulsion, fuel cell systems, robotic actuators and other small high-speed motors [6]. Heat dissipation and evacuation in the motor is still a challenge that needs to be improved urgently.…”

“…Spindle thermal deformation caused by the error is often small, but the impact on the machining accuracy is prominent, and in serious cases, even causes damage to the spindle. Therefore, it is especially critical to provide efficient heat evacuation and address the thermal contortion of the motor spindle caused by temperature increase [4][5][6][7][8].…”

In-Wheel Motor Drive Systems for Electric Vehicles: State of the Art, Challenges, and Future Trends

“…Integration of an IWM with an inverter can reduce long connecting wires and additional housing, resulting in increased power/torque density [74]. According to [75] the latest advancements of wide bandgap semiconductors has improved the power density and ability to withstand higher temperature for elongated time of power electronics modules.…”

A Gate Drive Circuit for Dual N-type H-bridge Power Transistors

“…Therefore, after the switch tube on the high side is opened for some time, the switch tube on the low side should be opened to charge the CBOOT. In this way, the logic of the control algorithm cannot make the high-side N-type switch tube open at 100% duty cycle [6] .…”