Although the group’s main focus is energy storage, until 2017 we had a secondary focus on electrical machines, in particular temperature and degradation issues. Current density and torque density in motors is thermally limited and extreme temperatures severely reduce the lifetime of insulation systems and may lead to demagnetisation. We developed new approaches for reduced order thermal modelling of windings, new measurements and simulations of convection in machines, improved understanding of the impact of thermal extremes on insulation performance, and new diagnostic tools for temperature and lifetime.
Konstantinos Gyftakis (Edinburgh), Malcolm McCulloch (Oxford), Johan Gyselinck (ULB), Maria Bruna (Cambridge)