FEASIBILITY STUDY OF A NOVEL INTEGRATED ELECTRIC MOTOR PUMP FOR UNDERWATER APPLICATIONS/

This paper presents the results of a feasibility study of a novel elec tric motor/pump system that combines an axial field, permanent magnet motor with a centrifugal pump. This system, unique because the motor p ermanent magnet (PM) rotor and pump impeller vanes are a single unit, provides a compact, reliable, low-noise, and high-power-density electr ically driven centrifugal pump suitable for underwater applications in which minimizing noise, vibration, and volume are major design object ives. Performance tradeoffs for the electromagnetic analysis were made by two- and three-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA) models in conjunction with a lumped parameter magnetic circuit model. The study results reveal that theoretically the new integrated electric motor/p ump concept (1) provides up to seventy-three percent electromagnetic e fficiency with a significantly reduced volume and weight and (2) subst antially increases the power density and reliability with the potentia l for quiet and high performance. This study is also evidence that new concepts can be explored with expanded computer modeling and simulati on techniques.