Efficiency Improvement in Electric Motors using Low-core-loss Electric Steel

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Electric motors are electromechanical devices that convert electrical energy into mechanical energy. During this conversion process, some of the electrical energy is lost and dissipated as heat. This makes the electric motors a major consumer of electrical energy. Around 46% of the global electricity demand is from electric motors. The motor-related electrical energy consumption is likely to increase in the next few decades. Many factors are contributing to that including the higher penetration of electrified vehicles into the market, the growing need for cooling equipment in regions that will face significant temperature rise due to climate change, the increasing sales of household appliances in jurisdictions with a growing middle class, and the acceleration of the use of renewable energy systems. In this project, Arcanum Alloys, Stelco, and McMaster University are joining forces to develop a higher efficiency electric motor by utilizing Arcanum Alloys' proprietary low-core-loss electrical steel technology. Arcanum Alloys' Surface Optimized Diffusion Alloy (SODA) steels can be tailored to provide a combination of permeability, core-loss, and mechanical properties that are not usually seen in traditional steels. In electric motors, core losses usually make up the second-largest loss component after the copper losses. Especially in applications where a high-speed operation is required, core losses can be even more significant. The designed motor technology with Arcanum Alloys' low-core-loss electrical steel will enable the development of high-efficiency electric motors. Considering that the demand for electrification and, hence, the demand for electric motors is expected to increase in the next few decades, the outcomes of this project is of significant importance to reduce Canada's electrical energy consumption and carbon footprint. The results of the project will also benefit society by improving the talent pool of well-trained, highly skilled graduates and researchers with hands-on experience.