A new motor to power the world?

Posted by $ blarman 1 year, 7 months ago to Technology
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I've never heard of a "synchronous reluctance" motor, but the principle is awesome and far cheaper and more sustainable than the current crop of electric vehicle motors. Looking forward to great things from this young man!
SOURCE URL: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/this-17-year-old-designed-a-motor-that-could-potentially-transform-the-electric-car-industry-180980550/


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  • Posted by $ Markus_Katabri 1 year, 7 months ago
    It’s a synchronous motor. They’ve been around at least 100 years. Raw material wise sure they’re more “sustainable”. But, now you have to create and maintain a field for the armature. So we’ve replaced rare earth magnets with watts. 6 and one half dozen blah blah blah.
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  • Posted by CircuitGuy 1 year, 7 months ago
    I love the alacrity in his expression in the video.

    I don't know very much about motors. I knew not all motors' rotors required magnets, and now that I think about it stands to reason that there are some tradeoffs that make people use magnetic rotors for some applications.

    If the technology really is better on certain figures of merit, it may find applications he's not even thinking of, unrelated to vehicles. Even if it doesn't work out, he has perseverance. "But eventually on the 15th motor, I was able to get a working prototype.” It's like Edison said, they're not failures, but finding out things that don't work, a little inspiration but mostly perspiration.

    "“I don’t have tons of resources for making very advanced motors, and so I had to make a smaller version..." I bet investors will send resources his way soon.
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  • Posted by Dobrien 1 year, 7 months ago
    I hope Robert Sansone is not influenced negatively by industry leaders who tend to stifle innovation. The great inventors tend to ignore the naysayers and produce marvelous innovations that make our lives better.. I might be nitpicking but that thought came to mind when reading this…” Hofmann says of Sansone. “There's the potential that it could be the next big thing.” Though, he adds that many professors work on research their whole lives, and it’s “fairly rare that they end up taking over the world.”

    Hofmann says the materials for synchronous reluctance motors are cheap, but the machines are complex and notoriously difficult to manufacture. High manufacturing costs are, therefore, a barrier to their widespread use—and a major limiting factor to Sansone’s invention.

    Sansone agrees, but says “with new technologies like additive manufacturing [such as 3-D printing], it would be easier to construct it in the future.”

    Before Sansone added his solution to increase efficiency and torque successfully, he would have been likely discouraged by the so called experts to advance his theory.
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  • Posted by $ Olduglycarl 1 year, 7 months ago
    Cool, I'll take a look over the weekend.

    Best save it when the magnetic fields and sun get back to normal though...sometime in the next cycle of civilization. This one is headed for it's end.
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  • Posted by jack1776 1 year, 7 months ago
    It unfortunate but this article is more about feeling good then reality.

    Please correct me if I’m wrong but nearly all production EV motors are AC inductance motors with advanced electronics to control the motor. No magnet in an AC inductance motor so saving rare earth materials isn’t working here… As far as I know, no EV motors us permanent magnet motors. Maybe some include some aspects of permanent magnets but I’m unaware of that.

    The AC inductance motor is a phenomenal design and the modern control algorithms allow you to dial in the speed and torque you wish to receive. Requires a computer to operate.

    The environment spin in this article is pure fiction.
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    • Posted by $ 1 year, 7 months ago
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      • Posted by jack1776 1 year, 7 months ago
        I understand it says that but do you believe everything you read? I said correct me if I'm wrong and Car and Drive is not an engineering publication. The AC inductance motor is truly a marvel of engineering.
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        • Posted by $ 1 year, 7 months ago
          If you're going to take issue with something like this, it becomes incumbent upon you to provide the backup for your arguments. You're the one complaining that this young man's achievements aren't novel, special, or worthy of celebration.
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          • Posted by jack1776 1 year, 7 months ago
            You read way too much into the comment, you are assuming I'm saying his invention is not novel. I have never said that or thought that… I have no issues at all, with no one, even you. Please note in the comment I did say, “Please correct me if I’m wrong”. You seem a little on edge?

            I have an interest in motor controllers and have studied them a little. The purpose to the comment is to encourage intellectual debate and discussion. I read a book on AC Inductance motor controller design and find it fascinating.

            Claim: EV motors don’t use permanent magnets.

            Fact: After researching this I found that EV Motor manufacturing has integrated permanent into their AC inductance motor designs. This I didn’t know…

            But instead of possible discussing and learning together, you turned this into another shit show. Like the down votes blarman, seem a little quick on the trigger?

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permane...
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            • Posted by $ 1 year, 7 months ago
              Go back and read the entire thread. 1) You speculated. 2) I posted an article from a well-known and authoritative source giving you an opportunity to revise your original statement. 3) You accused me of not doing my homework. 4) I pointed out that it is your duty to support any claims you make - especially in the face of contradictory data. 4) Now you're attempting to shift blame instead of simply acknowledging that not only were you operating under a false assumption, you persisted in that false assumption even when confronted with contradictory and accurate information.

              I wasn't the one operating under false apprehension here. I bear no responsibility and accept none. Further, I downvoted you because of your combative approach and refusal to take responsibility for your error.
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              • Posted by jack1776 1 year, 7 months ago
                1) Yes, I left it open for correction and discussion… “Hmmmm…” is passive aggressive and condescending. State what you mean.
                2) My point is that Car and Driver magazine is not an authoritative source on electric motors. This isn’t a source I would have quoted, not hat I have anything against them, it’s just not their bailiwick…
                3) I never accused you of “not doing your homework”
                4) I wasn’t making a claim other than looking for discussion, if you were not so aggressive, we could have had a open discussion on this.
                5) Motors with magnets are permanent magnet motors, electric vehicles use a/c inductance motors, not permanent magnet motors. I already admitted to you that I didn’t know that they included magnet components now.

                Blarman, no disrespect intended, and no apologies needed. You are offended in some way and I tried to explain my point to you but you seem to be quick to the argument. Wish you well and happy endeavors.
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