Reluctance assisted axial flux electric motor

A rotor for mounting on a rotational axis in an axial flux electric motor, comprising:

• a ferromagnetic rotor core;
• and
• a plurality of alternating south and north pole permanent magnets (PMs) arranged on the ferromagnetic rotor core symmetrically around the rotational axis;
• wherein:
• the ferromagnetic rotor core includes a plurality of core saliencies extending to the rotor exterior surface;
• each pair of alternating south and north pole PMs includes one of the core saliencies arranged therebetween;
• each of the core saliencies is arranged between one south pole PM and one north pole PM;
• the plurality of core saliencies is phase-angle shifted relative to the plurality of alternating south and north pole PMs thereby to thereby alter magnetic reluctance of the electric motor;
• and
• in each pair of alternating south and north pole PMs, the respective core saliency is disposed angularly closer either to the corresponding south pole PM than to the corresponding north pole PM or to the corresponding north pole PM than to the corresponding south pole PM.

An axial flux electric motor comprising:

• a rotationally fixed stator defining a rotational axis and having a plurality of conductive stator magnetic poles arranged radially about the rotational axis;
• a first rotor spaced axially from one side from the stator, having a first rotor exterior surface facing the stator, and rotatably mounted coaxially with the rotational axis, wherein:
• the first rotor includes a first ferromagnetic rotor core and a plurality of first alternating south and north pole permanent magnets (PMs) arranged on the first ferromagnetic rotor core symmetrically around the rotational axis and facing the stator;
• the first ferromagnetic rotor core includes a plurality of first core saliencies extending to the first rotor exterior surface;
• each of the first core saliencies is arranged between one first south pole PM and one first north pole PM;
• and
• the plurality of first core saliencies is phase-angle shifted relative to the plurality of first alternating south and north pole PMs to thereby alter magnetic reluctance of the electric motor;
• and
• a second rotor spaced axially from another side from the stator, having a second rotor exterior surface facing the stator, and rotatably mounted coaxially with the rotational axis, wherein:
• the second rotor includes a second ferromagnetic rotor core and a plurality of second alternating south and north pole PMs arranged on the second ferromagnetic rotor core symmetrically around the rotational axis and facing the stator;
• the second ferromagnetic rotor core includes a plurality of second core saliencies extending to the second rotor exterior surface;
• each of the second core saliencies is arranged between one second south pole PM and one second north pole PM;
• the plurality of second core saliencies is phase-aligned with or phase-angle shifted relative to the plurality of first core saliencies;
• and
• the plurality of second alternating south and north pole PMs is phase-angle shifted relative to the plurality of first alternating south and north pole PMs to thereby further alter the motor magnetic reluctance.