System and method for preventing stator permanent magnet demagnetization during vacuum pressure impregnation

1. A method for fabricating a permanent magnet electrical machine, the method comprising:

providing a stator that includes conductive windings wound thereon and one or more permanent magnets embedded in the stator;

positioning a magnetic keeper element on the stator so as to form a magnetic flux path with the one or more permanent magnets, with the magnetic keeper element closing the magnetic flux path of the one or more permanent magnets by providing a low reluctance flux path to magnetic flux generated by the one or more permanent magnets; and

performing a vacuum pressure impregnation (VPI) process on the stator to increase a thermal conductivity of the conductive windings, the VPI process including a curing step that is performed at a selected temperature;

wherein the magnetic keeper element sets an operating point of the one or more permanent magnets to an internal flux density level above a demagnetization threshold associated with the selected temperature at which the curing step is performed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnetic keeper element is positioned along an inner circumference of the stator.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the magnetic keeper element comprises a magnetic ring positioned along the inner circumference of the stator.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnetic keeper element is formed of a soft magnetic material.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the soft magnetic material has a relative magnetic permeability of 100 to 1,000.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a demagnetization knee of a BH-curve associated with the VPI process is dependent on material from which the one or more permanent magnets is formed and the selected curing temperature.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more permanent magnets comprise Dysprosium-free or reduced Dysprosium permanent magnets.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing the magnetic keeper element upon completion of the VPI process.

9. A permanent magnet electrical machine comprising:

a stator having a plurality of teeth with conductive windings wound thereabout and one or more permanent magnets embedded in the stator;

a removable magnetic keeper element, selectively attachable and detachable to the stator, the removable magnetic keeper element positioned along an inner circumference of the stator so as to form a magnetic flux path with the one or more permanent magnets, with the magnetic keeper element closing the magnetic flux path of the one or more permanent magnets by providing a reluctance flux path to magnetic flux generated by the one or more permanent magnets.

10. The permanent magnet electrical machine of claim 9 wherein the magnetic keeper element comprises a magnetic ring.

11. The permanent magnet electrical machine of claim 9 wherein the one or more permanent magnets comprise Dysprosium-free or reduced Dysprosium permanent magnets.

12. The permanent magnet electrical machine of claim 9 wherein the magnetic keeper element sets an operating point of the one or more permanent magnets to an internal flux density level above a demagnetization threshold.

13. The permanent magnet electrical machine of claim 9 wherein the magnetic keeper element is formed of a soft magnetic material having a relative magnetic permeability of 100 to 1,000.

14. A stator assembly for a permanent magnet electrical machine, the stator assembly being formed by the steps of:

providing a stator that includes conductive windings wound thereon and one or more permanent magnets embedded in the stator;

positioning a magnetic keeper element on the stator to form a closed magnetic flux path with the one or more permanent magnets; and

performing a vacuum pressure impregnation (VPI) process on the stator to increase a thermal conductivity of the conductive windings, the VPI process including a curing step that is performed at a selected temperature;

wherein the magnetic keeper element sets an operating point of the one or more permanent magnets to an internal flux density level above a demagnetization threshold associated with the selected temperature at which the curing step is performed.

15. The stator assembly of claim 14 wherein the magnetic keeper element is formed of a soft magnetic material having a relative magnetic permeability of 100 to 1,000.

16. The stator assembly of claim 14 wherein the demagnetization threshold comprises a demagnetization knee of a BH-curve associated with the VPI process for the one or more permanent magnets.

17. The stator assembly of claim 16 wherein the demagnetization knee of the BH-curve is dependent on material from which the one or more permanent magnets is formed and the selected curing temperature.

18. The stator assembly of claim 17 wherein the one or more permanent magnets comprise Dysprosium-free or reduced Dysprosium permanent magnets.

19. The stator assembly of claim 14 wherein the magnetic keeper element is removed upon completion of the VPI process.

20. The permanent magnet electrical machine of claim 9 wherein the magnetic keeper element is selectively attachable prior to performing a vacuum pressure impregnation (VPI) process on the stator.

21. The permanent magnet electrical machine of claim 9 wherein the magnetic keeper element is selectively removable after completing a vacuum pressure impregnation (VPI) process on the stator.