New Motor Technology Ready to Go Mainstream

Is it like a big stepper motor?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switched_reluctance_motor

Well there is no winding of the rotor, just the stator....and that is separated for each winding...and there are no permanent magnets... the motor is very simple and the controller very complicated, well no more complicated than a VFD, but better control than a VFD, so the efficiency is greatly improved, the motors are easier and cheaper to manufacture, and more reliable....the power density is improved, so you get a smaller motor for the same hp....

The switched reluctance motor works similar to a stepper motor except stepper motors use permanent magnets. The switched-reluctance motor uses a soft magnetic material to complete the magnetic circuit.

"Switched reluctance motors have fewer poles and a larger stepping angle than stepper motors. While stepper motors are typically chosen for positioning applications, where step integrity and high resolution are important, switched reluctance motors are used in applications where power density is a primary concern.

Because switched reluctance motors have rotors with no magnets or windings, they have lower inertia and can therefore achieve higher accelerations and speeds than motors with permanent magnet rotors, such as stepper motors. The lack of magnets on the rotor provides other benefits as well – including the ability to withstand higher temperatures (less cooling required) and simple, lower-cost construction than permanent magnet motors."

https://www.motioncontroltips.com/how-do-switched-reluctance-motors-differ-from-stepper-motors/

Here is an example of a switched reluctance motor:

"Switched reluctance motor with 6 stator poles and 4 rotor poles. Notice that the stator poles protrude toward the rotor, and the rotor poles protrude toward the stator. This is known as a doubly salient pole design.
Image credit: chargedevs.com"

A sensor on the motor shaft controls energizing of the stator coils in sequence, attracting the rotor poles toward the energized stator poles creating torque.

As I said many moons ago, Once Tesla forces the issue, then the R&D dollars start to flow and then EVs become economical.

It was a diabolical plan.

Yeah, then the electricity prices rise to ever greater heights... talk is cheap, progress is expensive...We spend thousands chasing nickels to meet uncertain goals with warm fuzzy targets...We don't know where we've been, we don't know where we're going, but we sure know how to get there, just ask anybody...

I wonder how the sinusoid power supply fares in a delivery system with hundreds of these connected? Will it be necessary to reduce THD or will these units survive just fine?

Will the losses in the power system due to the supply waveform distortion detract significantly from the individual unit savings, ie conventional transformer iron & copper construction?

Like most solid state starters, these are slow start, so not much harmonics involved...

It appears this is a new take on an old technology referred to as a fluence motor. I'm hoping that it is a change in material technologies that the reduction in hysteresis in the magnetic components and control of eddy current losses are breathing some new life into the design by improving efficiency. If it pans out long run it will be nice to get out from under the monopoly on rare earth magnets.

Seems to be some new developments in shipping tech lately too. LoL

Damn cool mirage though.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fata_Morgana_(mirage)

That looks almost too good. The mirages I've seen usually had just a small gap between the ship and the horizon and the horizon wasn't well defined. It must have been exceptionable conditions.

Looks interesting. Sometimes I wonder though if the improved efficiency is worth all the extra money. There is another motor design that makes more sense to me. Read about it here: https://linearlabsinc.com/

If they had stock I would buy some. For now they are privately owned.

There was a guy came on site a year or so ago who had this weird idea about making hydrogen on the fly and adding it to cargoship fuels to increase burn efficiency and reduce polution.

I think he might have taken it a bit too far....