Design Optimization and Comparative Evaluation of Surface-Mounted and Consequent-Pole Dual-Rotor Axial-Flux Permanent-Magnet Machines for Cost-Effective Industrial Applications

Electric motors consume over half of the world’s electricity. Induction machines are widely adopted in industrial sectors; however, their low power factor and poor efficiency need to be addressed, and exploring advanced motor topologies with high efficiency, a better power factor, and low power consumption is essential for sustainable industrial development. This paper discusses two Yokeless and Segmented Armature (YASA) axial-flux permanent-magnet (AFPM) machines, a surface-mounted permanent-magnet (SPM) machine and a consequent-pole permanent-magnet (CPM) machine, and proposes the CPM machine as a cost-effective potential replacement for conventional induction motors. The machines are evaluated based on key electromagnetic performance, including torque characteristics, losses, and efficiency, while the optimization targets increased average torque and reduced torque ripple under fixed geometric and permanent-magnet volume constraints. The optimization results indicate that the surface-mounted configuration achieves a 5.95% improvement in average torque with a 51.3% reduction in torque ripple, whereas the consequent-pole topology demonstrates superior performance gains, delivering a 13.54% increase in average torque and a 53.78% reduction in torque ripple compared with the initial designs. Despite utilizing 50% less permanent-magnet material, the consequent-pole machine maintains competitive torque performance with lower torque ripple, establishing it as a cost-effective and industrially viable solution.