CAREER: NOVEL INTEGRATION OF FLUID DYNAMIC DESIGN INTO ELECTRIC MACHINES

随着全球能源需求的稳步增长，能源效率和能源的可持续利用仍然是各国面临的最紧迫的挑战之一。事实上，未来全球能源需求将继续稳步增长。最近的研究表明，到2030年，世界一次能源需求可能增长50%以上。在全球电能需求中，压缩机系统消耗了相当大的比例。 压缩机的应用非常广泛，从许多角度来看对人类都很有用。压缩机可以在非常小的设备中找到，例如睡眠呼吸暂停机器，到用于发电和加热，通风和空调（HVAC）系统的千瓦级微型涡轮机，到发电厂的兆瓦级天然气涡轮机。压缩机的另一个有用且可持续的应用是压缩空气储能系统。其他应用包括发电系统、飞机喷气发动机和高速推进系统的原动机。在所有压缩机类型中，轴流压缩机具有最高的效率之一，并且大多数轴流压缩机需要电动机。因此，需要设计能够以高速度和高效率以低成本运行轴流式压缩机的电动机。这项研究的目的是开发一种先进的电机，用轴流压缩机取代旧的、低效的压缩机拓扑结构，为更有效和可持续的能源利用铺平道路。该研究提出了一种新颖的和变革的电机，通过将电机的转子和压缩机的翼型结合成一个结构。与传统的单独的电机和压缩机设计相比，这种方法将减少轴流式压缩机系统的重量、体积和成本，并提高效率。CAREER项目旨在通过学分课程向大学生传播研究成果，通过短期课程，研讨会和教程向实践工程师传播研究成果，并通过演示和开放日向公众传播研究成果。该项目将促进妇女和代表性不足的少数民族参与本科和研究生工程教育，通过各种研讨会和STEM活动（如Camp Badger）促进平等参与和促进多样性。这项研究工作的核心假设是，如果电机的转子成形为翼型，那么将存在来自转子的机械扭矩到流体中的动能的转换，因为转子将用作压缩机的翼型并压缩气体。 因此，这项CAREER研究提出了一种新的电机，其中转子形状为翼型，实现电机和压缩机功能。 这种方法将实现转子和定子由于固有气流的自冷却、压缩机的轴向长度的减小、由于轴向长度减小而更简单和更鲁棒的机械设计以及由于轴向长度减小而更简单的轴承设计。 本研究旨在发展一套电机与涡轮机械的统一理论，以整合转矩产生与流体动力学。将进行多物理场模拟，以分析机电、热、结构和流体动力学属性。 将研究性能特征，并将新型集成转子翼型设计的好处量化，并与传统的单独电机和压缩机设计进行比较。 最后，一个概念验证原型将建立和测试，以验证设计，分析和仿真结果。这一变革性研究旨在实现下一代高速压缩机系统的更低重量、体积和成本、更高效率和更高可靠性。所提出的概念适用于涡轮机和风扇，并将对其进行研究。

Energy efficiency and sustainable use of energy continue to be among nations' most pressing challenges as global energy demand steadily increases. In fact, global energy needs will continue to grow steadily into the future. Recent studies indicate that the world's primary energy demand is likely to grow more than 50% by 2030. Among global electric energy needs, compressor systems consume a substantial proportion. The applications for compressors are very broad and useful for humanity from many perspectives. Compressors can be found in very small equipment such as sleep apnea machines, to kilo-Watt level micro-turbines for power generation and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, to mega-Watt level natural gas turbines of power plants. Another useful and sustainable application of compressors is for compressed air energy storage systems. Other applications include prime mover of electrical generation systems, aircraft jet engines, and high-speed propulsion systems. Among all compressor types, axial flow compressors have one of the highest efficiency, and most of the axial flow compressors require electric motors. Hence, there is a need to design electric motors that can run the axial flow compressors at high speed and efficiency at low cost. The motivation of this research aims to develop an advanced electric machine to replace older, inefficient compressor topologies with axial flow compressors, paving the way for more efficient and sustainable energy use. The research proposes a novel and transformative motor, by combining the rotor of the electric motor and airfoil of a compressor into one structure. This approach will reduce the weight, volume, and cost of the axial flow compressor systems and increase the efficiency compared to traditional separate motor and compressor designs. The CAREER project aims to disseminate the research results to university students via credit courses, practicing engineers via short courses, seminars, and tutorials, and the general public via demonstrations and open houses. The project will promote participation of women and under-represented minorities in undergraduate and graduate engineering education to advance equal participation and advance diversity via various workshops and STEM activities such as Camp Badger. The central hypothesis underlying this research effort is that if a rotor of electric machine is shaped as an airfoil, then there will be a conversion of mechanical torque from the rotor to kinetic energy in the fluid, because the rotor will serve as an airfoil for the compressor and compress the gas. Hence, this CAREER research proposes a novel electric machine where the rotor is shaped as an airfoil that achieves both motoring and compressor function. This approach will achieve self-cooling of the rotor and stator due to inherent gas flow, reduction in the axial length of the compressor, simpler and more robust mechanical design due to reduced axial length, and simpler bearing design due to reduced axial length. The research aims to develop a unified theory of electric machines and turbo machinery to integrate the torque production and fluid dynamics. Multi-physics simulations will be performed to analyze the electromechanical, thermal, structural, and fluid dynamic attributes. Performance characteristics will be researched and benefits of the novel integrated rotor-airfoil design will be quantified and compared with traditional separate motor and compressor designs. Finally, a proof-of-concept prototype will be built and tested to validate the design, analytical and simulation results. This transformational research aims to achieve lower weight, volume, and cost, higher efficiency, and higher reliability of next generation high-speed compressor systems. The proposed concept is applicable to and will be investigated for turbines and fans.