System and method for magnetization of permanent magnet rotors in electrical machines

1. A method for manufacturing a rotor of an electrical machine, comprising:

assembling an array of permanent magnet segments around a rotor spindle;

determining desired orientation directions of the permanent magnet segments; and

positioning the assembled permanent magnet segments in a magnetization fixture such that the desired orientation directions of the permanent magnet segments are aligned with corresponding flux directions of the magnetizing fixture,

wherein the desired orientation directions of the permanent magnet segments are configured such that successive orientation directions vary from a direction generally normal to a direction of rotation of the rotor at a rotor pole D-axis to a direction generally tangential to the direction of rotation of the rotor at a rotor pole Q-axis, and

wherein the desired orientation directions of the permanent magnet segments are determined via magnetic analysis comprising finite element method, generally having the characteristic that the desired orientation directions of the permanent magnet segments are such as to be nearly coincident in direction with the magnetic flux produced by the magnetizing fixture.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the magnetizing fixture comprises a plurality of coils wound around a magnetic core, the coils of the magnetizing fixture being equal in number to the number of poles of the rotor.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising aligning rotor pole Q axes with the coils of the magnetizing fixture and aligning rotor pole D axes with centers of magnetizer poles of the magnetizing fixture.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising energizing the magnetizing fixture via a pulsed direct current (DC).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical machine comprises a polyphase synchronous machine.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein assembling the permanent magnet segments comprises adhesively bonding the permanent magnet segments to each other and to the rotor spindle.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising disposing a retaining ring over the assembled permanent magnet segments.

8. A method for magnetizing a cylindrical machine element, comprising

assembling an array of non-magnetized permanent magnet segments in a circular pattern;

determining desired orientation directions of the non-magnetized permanent magnet segments, such that successive orientation directions vary from a direction generally normal to a direction of rotation of the rotor at a rotor pole D-axis to a direction generally tangential to the direction of rotation of the rotor at a rotor pole Q-axis;

positioning the assembled non-magnetized permanent magnet segments in a magnetization fixture such that flux directions of the magnetizing fixture are generally aligned along the desired orientation directions of the permanent magnet segments; and

energizing the magnetization fixture to magnetize the segments,

wherein determining the desired orientation directions of the permanent magnet segments via magnetic analysis comprises using finite element method, generally having the characteristic that the desired orientation directions of the permanent magnet segments are such as to be nearly coincident in direction with the magnetic flux produced by the magnetizing fixture.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the orientation directions of the permanent magnet segments are generally aligned with the direction of flux produced by the magnetizing fixture.

10. The method of claim 8 , comprising assembling the non-magnetized permanent magnet segments on a rotor spindle prior to positioning the non-magnetized permanent magnet segments in the magnetization fixture.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the magnetizing fixture comprises a plurality of coils wound around a magnetic core, the coils being equal in number to the number of poles of the rotor.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising aligning rotor pole Q axes with the coils of the magnetizing fixture and aligning rotor pole D axes with centers of magnetizer poles of the magnetizing fixture.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein energizing the magnetizing fixture comprises subjecting the coils to a pulsed direct current (DC).