Drastic efficiency increase of electric motors based on a new high thermally conductive stator slot concept

Authors

K. Ikeda – SEI Automotive Europe, Y. Mitsugi - Sumitomi Electric Industries, V., U. Strueken - SEWS Components and Electronics Europe

Summary

Sumitomo Electric Industries, known for technologies in the automobile industry, communication, electronics, green energy, environment, and industrial materials has put development efforts into the efficiency improvement of electric motors. Thermal management of electric motors is a key to overcome performance limitations and re-duces power consumption. With a significant increase in the efficiency of electric motors and their application within electric drive systems, we hope to contribute to the effort towards electric mobility and finally towards global decarbonisation efforts and reaching climate related targets.

Based on our magnet wire and its isolation coating technology in combination with an epoxy resin moulding compound, Sumitomo Group developed a new high thermally conductive stator core slot design concept which improves the thermal conductivity within the electric motor by 200%. This improved thermal conductivity, decreases the total temperature significantly and results in a drastic efficiency increase of the electric motor.

Compared to common stator designs, our new concept enables us to eliminate the impregnated varnish paper, making related production processes obsolete as well. Other benefits include an increase of the slot fill factor and a reduction of the amount of polluting materials.