Performance Comparison of PM Synchronous and PM Vernier Machines Based on Equal Output Power per Unit Volume

This paper compares the performances of permanent-magnet synchronous (PMS) and permanent-magnet vernier (PMV) machines for low-speed and high-torque applications. For comparison with the PMS machines, we consider two types of the PMV machine. The first one has surface-mounted permanent magnets (PMs) on the rotor and the other has PMs inserted on both sides of the stator and rotor. The PMS and PMV machines are designed to meet the condition of equal output power per unit volume. We analyze the magnetic fields of the machines using a two-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA). We then compare their performances in terms of the generated torque characteristics, power factor, loss, and efficiency.