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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 55 records · Page 3

Performance of a Cylindrical Hall-Effect Thruster with Magnetic Field Generated by Permanent Magnets

While Hall thrusters can operate at high efficiency at kW power levels, it is difficult to construct one that operates over a broad envelope down to 100W while maintaining an efficiency of 45- 55%. Scaling to low power while holding the main dimensionless parameters constant requires a decrease in the thruster channel size and an increase in the magnetic field strength. Increasing the magnetic field becomes technically challenging since the field can saturate the miniaturized inner components of the magnetic circuit and scaling down the magnetic circuit leaves very little room for magnetic pole pieces and heat shields. An alternative approach is to employ a cylindrical Hall thruster (CHT) geometry. Laboratory model CHTs have operated at power levels ranging from the order of 50 Watts up to 1 kW. These thrusters exhibit performance characteristics which are comparable to conventional, annular Hall thrusters of similar size. Compared to the annular Hall thruster, the CHT has a lower insulator surface area to discharge chamber volume ratio. Consequently, there is the potential for reduced wall losses in the channel of a CHT, and any reduction in wall losses should translate into lower channel heating rates and reduced erosion. This makes the CHT geometry promising for low-power applications. Recently, a CHT that uses permanent magnets to produce the magnetic field topology was tested. This thruster has the promise of reduced power consumption over previous CHT iterations that employed electromagnets. Data are presented for two purposes: to expose the effect different controllable parameters have on the discharge and to summarize performance measurements (thrust, Isp, efficiency) obtained using a thrust stand. These data are used to gain insight into the thruster's operation and to allow for quantitative comparisons between the permanent magnet CHT and the electromagnet CHT.

Polzin, Kurt A.↗

Directly obtained τ-phase MnAl, a high performance magnetic material for permanent magnets

The metastable tetragonal τ-phase has been directly obtained from casting Mn{sub 0.54}Al{sub 0.46} and (Mn{sub 0.55}Al{sub 0.45}){sub 100}C{sub 2} using the drop synthesis method. The as-casted samples were ball milled to decrease the particle size and relaxed at 500 °C for 1 h. The phase composition, crystallographic parameters, magnetic properties and microstructure were systematically studied. The results reveal that the τ-phase could be directly obtained from drop synthesis. The highest M{sub s} of 117 emu/g was achieved in the (Mn{sub 0.55}Al{sub 0.45}){sub 100}C{sub 2} where the τ-phase was stabilized by doping with carbon. Carbon doping increased the c/a ratio of the τ-phase as it occupies specific interstitial positions (½, ½, 0) in the structure. Furthermore, ball milling increases the coercivity (H{sub c}) at the expense of a decrease in magnetic saturation (M{sub s}). The increase in coercivity is explained by a decrease of grain size in conjunction with domain wall pinning due to defects introduced during the ball milling process. - Graphical abstract: The tetragonal τ-phase has been directly obtained from casting Mn{sub 0.54}Al{sub 0.46} and (Mn{sub 0.55}Al{sub 0.45}){sub 100}C{sub 2} using the drop synthesis method. The phase composition, crystallographic parameters, magnetic properties and microstructure were systematically studied. The highest M{sub s} of 117 emu/g was achieved for (Mn{sub 0.55}Al{sub 0.45}){sub 100}C{sub 2} ball milling increases the coercivity (H{sub c}) at the expense of a decrease in magnetic saturation (M{sub s}). - Highlights: • The ferromagnetic τ-phase has been directly obtained from casting. • The highest M{sub s} of 117 emu/g was achieved for (Mn{sub 0.55}Al{sub 0.45}){sub 100}C{sub 2}. • Ball milling increases the coercivity but decreases the magnetic saturation.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

An Integrated Traction Drive with a High Speed Surface Permanent Magnet External Rotor Motor for Electric Vehicles

This work presents the detailed design of an outer rotor motor and integrated drive for passenger electric vehicles. The motor uses non-heavy rare earth permanent magnets and operates at a top speed of 20,000rpm. In-slot ceramic heat exchangers are utilized for the cooling of the windings. The external rotor configuration of the motor leaves a significant amount of space in the stator bore, which is leveraged for the integration of the power electronics. A high speed external rotor motor creates a number of mechanical, thermal and assembly challenges and this work presents detailed thermal, mechanical and rotordynamics analysis.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

A solid-state extrusion pathway extensible to upcycling aluminum scrap and end-of-life permanent magnets into ductile Al-6061/SmCo 5 structural magnetic composites

Permanent magnets offer strong potential for multifunctional structural components, but their inherent brittleness limits direct integration. Here, SolidStir® Extrusion (SSE) is used to embed SmCo5 powder into AA6061 in the solid state, and the resulting microstructure, interfacial chemistry, mechanical properties, and magnetic response are systematically characterized. SSE fragments the initial SmCo 5 powder into predominantly fine particles dispersed within an ultrafine Al matrix, with a volume fraction of ∼ 4–6 % in this proof-of-concept study. Interfacial reactions form a continuous Al–Co reaction layer, with local atomic-resolution indexing consistent with Al 13 Co 4 , together with Sm–Si-rich reaction products, while the matrix contains Sm–Co–Si-rich precipitates and Mg 2 Si, producing features from nanometers to micrometers. Compared with an Al extrudate, this architecture increases yield strength by ∼ 42 % and tensile strength by ∼ 31 %, while preserving uniform elongation, and it sustains work hardening in compression from 150 to 400 °C. The composite retained hard-magnetic behavior, with axial magnetization of 12.7 A·m 2 kg −1 at 6 T and intrinsic coercivity of 9.6 kOe. These findings demonstrate that SSE can produce Al-based load-bearing magnetic composites while preserving useful SmCo5 functionality.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Permanent Magnets Featuring Heavy Main Group Elements for Magnetic Anisotropy

Permanent magnets are the functional component of electric motors and generators found in numerous renewable energy applications. To improve energy conversion in such applications, we require fundamentally new magnets that generate higher magnetic flux per volume while retaining the properties conferred by rare-earth elements incorporated into current technologies. We hypothesize that by engendering a covalent interaction between two elements, we can access a new regime of magnetic materials where the two components of a magnetic moment—spin and orbital angular momentum—come from two separate atoms to form a complete magnetic moment. Our previous research utilized high-pressure conditions to discover two new candidate materials ideal for assessing this hypothesis. The first material, FeBi 2 , enables the study of an unprecedented solid state metal-metal bonding interaction. The second, MnBi 2 represents the second member of the promising Mn–Bi family known for its magnetic properties. Importantly, MnBi 2 is isostructural to FeBi 2 . Together these chemically simple but magnetically rich materials provide an elegant platform for elucidating fundamental design principals of magnetic anisotropy while inspiring the synthesis of new magnetic materials. More generally, solid-state chemistry remains a synthetic black box. To fully harness the potential of such new materials, it is vital to create a window into both the structure and the properties of our high-pressure materials. One missing area of importance to energy science is high-pressure magnetometry. To this end, we assessed the magnetic structure of these materials through two objectives: (1) we performed magnetometry measurements at high-pressures, including performing high-pressure X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (XMCD) experiments on these materials that are only synthesized at high-pressure and cannot be recovered to ambient conditions and (2) we targeted the recovery of these materials using dynamic compression approaches, starting with laser shock techniques. Future directions include expanding our focus to ternary phase space, employing high-throughput computational approaches to direct our search for magnetic materials across the Periodic Table. This award was originated at Northwestern, and reopened as a new grant at MIT. This is the close out for Northwestern.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

On-the-fly machine-learning for high-throughput experiments: search for rare-earth-free permanent magnets

Advanced materials characterization techniques with ever-growing data acquisition speed and storage capabilities represent a challenge in modern materials science, and new procedures to quickly assess and analyze the data are needed. Machine learning approaches are effective in reducing the complexity of data and rapidly homing in on the underlying trend in multi-dimensional data. Here, we show that by employing an algorithm called the mean shift theory to a large amount of diffraction data in high-throughput experimentation, one can streamline the process of delineating the structural evolution across compositional variations mapped on combinatorial libraries with minimal computational cost. Data collected at a synchrotron beamline are analyzed on the fly, and by integrating experimental data with the inorganic crystal structure database (ICSD), we can substantially enhance the accuracy in classifying the structural phases across ternary phase spaces. We have used this approach to identify a novel magnetic phase with enhanced magnetic anisotropy which is a candidate for rare-earth free permanent magnet.

Kusne, AG↗

Rotor Magnet Fault Analysis in Permanent Magnet AC Machines Under Load Conditions - All Electric Transportation Systems

This paper studies the performance of a Permanent Magnet (PM) alternating-current (AC) machine when subjected to faults under load conditions. The effect of varying load torques, and unbalances are found to be potential causes of rotor faults, inducing physical magnet defects or broken rotor-PMs. The consequent and immediate impact on the machine quantities is observed through anomalous change in torque-speed characteristics and other vital signatures such as machine back-EMF/flux and motor current signatures (MCS). The present research study develops and illustrates a method to diagnose physical magnet defects (fault) in PMAC machines by estimating the machine torque/back-EMF constant, Ke. The constant Ke is a measure of magnet strength exhibiting the health of rotor PMs, indicative of faults. Advanced research studies and investigations are carried out to establish motor approximations and signature-based analysis as significant viable tools for diagnosing machine faults even under load conditions.

alternating current↗

Low-Field Alignment of Anisotropic Bonded Magnets for Additive Manufacturing of Permanent Magnet Motors

Additive manufacturing techniques for fabricating bonded magnets have the potential to reduce manufacturing cost and time-to-market of products and address the criticality of rare-earth elements (REEs), which is a concern for economic design of dependent applications such as permanent magnet machines. We investigated the magnetic alignment of anisotropic bonded magnet material comprising 65 vol.% Nd-Fe-B in nylon-12 produced by extrusion in a 20-W brushless direct current surface permanent magnet motor for submersible water pump application using finite element analysis. The results predict that sufficient alignment for this application could be obtained at low alignment fields (μoH ≤ 1 T) with a reduction in the volume of critical materials by up to 40% compared with isotropic permanent magnets. Furthermore, this demonstrates the economic feasibility of incorporating a magnetic alignment field source into additive manufacturing systems for bonded magnets, and the potential of aligned anisotropic bonded magnets to address REE criticality.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Special-Purpose High-Torque Permanent-Magnet Motors

Permanent-magnet brushless motors that must provide high commanded torques and satisfy unusual heat-removal requirement are developed. Intended for use as thrust-vector-control actuators in large rocket engines. Techniques and concepts used to design improved motors for special terrestrial applications. Conceptual motor design calls for use of rotor containing latest high-energy-product rare-earth permanent magnets so that motor produces required torque while drawing smallest possible currents from power supply. Torque generated by electromagnetic interaction between stator and permanent magnets in rotor when associated electronic circuits applied appropriately temporally and spatially phased currents to stator windings. Phase relationships needed to produce commanded torque computed in response to torque command and to electronically sensed angular position of rotor relative to stator.

Doane, George B., III↗

High Performance PrFeB Permanent Magnets through Novel Pulse Alignment and Compaction Method for Cryogenic Permanent Magnet Undulators (CPMU)

The Phase I feasibility results of processing PrFeB magnets have shown highly promising magnetic property results with the potential to equal or exceed the best PrFeB properties reported. These findings will be advanced in Phase II through composition tuning, optimization of powder alignment from 95% to > 98%, sintering and heat treat adjustments. The objectives of Phase I were successfully achieved during Phase I work. These were to produce PrFeB magnets and test to establish a baseline process including material chemistry, alloy milling to 3 microns, compaction with domain alignment, and liquid Phase sintering and annealing – under both thermal and vacuum cycles. Success of proper chemistry and processing is determined by the finished magnet density and magnetic performance. A density of 7.45 +/-0.03 g/cm3 has been established as demonstrating full density.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Relevance of 4f-3d exchange to finite-temperature magnetism of rare-earth permanent magnets: An ab-initio-based spin model approach for NdFe{sub 12}N

A classical spin model derived ab initio for rare-earth-based permanent magnet compounds is presented. Our target compound, NdFe{sub 12}N, is a material that goes beyond today's champion magnet compound Nd{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B in its intrinsic magnetic properties with a simpler crystal structure. Calculated temperature dependence of the magnetization and the anisotropy field agrees with the latest experimental results in the leading order. Having put the realistic observables under our numerical control, we propose that engineering 5d-electron-mediated indirect exchange coupling between 4f-electrons in Nd and 3d-electrons from Fe would most critically help enhance the material's utility over the operation-temperature range.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Post-assembly magnetization of a 100 kW high speed permanent magnet rotor

A post-assembly magnetizing fixture has been designed and successfully used to magnetize the rotor of a 100 kW high speed permanent magnet synchronous motor. The rotor is a solid cylinder with outer diameter of 80 mm and total length of 515 mm. The permanent magnet material is samarium-cobalt (Sm{sub 2}Co{sub 17}) with saturation magnetizing field of 6 T. The mechanical stability of the magnetizing fixture has been studied as well as the general design methodology. The magnetizing coil is subdivided in order to reduce the electromagnetic force, and the coils are separately reinforced in different ways. The electromagnetic and structural optimization is performed by finite element analysis and verified by experiments.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗