Rotor for a synchronous reluctance machine

Abstract

A rotor assembly for a synchronous reluctance machine has a plurality of steel punched star-shaped supports secured along a shaft at spaced locations for retaining a plurality of laminated rotor sections. The star-shaped supports have four equiangularly spaced arms having arcuate valleys disposed therebetween that define a plurality of channels for receiving the rotor sections. The rotor sections are secured to the star-shaped core by a plurality of bands fastened circumferentially around the rotor. A plurality of grooves disposed circumferentially around the rotor receive and retain the bands in place. A rotor bar and arcuate spring may be disposed within a concave cavity defined by the rotor sections to reduce audible noise produced as the rotor rotates at a high rate of speed and provide added compression on the rotor sections to the core. The rotor sections also include a dimpled separator of predetermined thickness disposed between the laminate sheets to optimize the machine. The separator is a steel sheet having a plurality of dimples that define the thickness of the separator. This results in a high speed axially-laminated synchronous reluctance rotor running at high speeds without any bolts or end caps in the rotor.