A comparasion of the effects of different commutation techniques on acoustic noise in AFPM UAV motors

Abstract

PMSM and AFPM are two different types of permanent magnet motors that convert electrical energy into mechanical energy and are used in many industrial applications. These motors are ahead of other motor types, especially in terms of energy efficiency and power density. In unmanned aerial vehicles, it is a great advantage to use a low weight and low volume propulsion provider. Moreover, the low level of acoustic noise is important for UAVs. In this paper, a new coreless AFPM (C-AFPM) was designed, and the prototype was carried out to achieve low acoustic noise. The acoustic performance of six-step and FOC commutation techniques was observed. As a result, it has been seen that an AFPM driven with the FOC control technique emits around 30% lower acoustic noise than the scenario driven by the six-step technique with the new C-AFPM machine for UAVs.