Fault-tolerant permanent magnet machine with reconfigurable stator core slot opening and back iron flux paths

A permanent magnet (PM) machine comprising a stator portion having a plurality of fault condition mechanisms disposed therein, the plurality of fault condition mechanisms automatically reconfigurable in combination to reduce stator winding fault currents and internal heat associated with the PM machine during a fault condition, wherein the plurality of fault condition mechanisms comprises at least one rotatable cylinder disposed within a back iron of the stator portion, and further comprises a sliding shield disposed within a stator slot opening portion of the stator portion.

A method of reconfiguring a permanent magnet (PM) machine upon detecting a fault condition, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing permanent magnet (PM) machine with a stator core comprising a plurality of fault condition mechanisms disposed therein, the plurality of mechanisms selected from a plurality of rotatable magnetically anisotropic cylinders disposed both within a stator back iron and stator slot openings, and a plurality of rotatable magnetically anisotropic cylinders disposed within a stator back iron and a sliding shield disposed with a stator slot opening portion of the stator core;
• and
• reconfiguring the plurality of fault condition mechanisms together to automatically reduce fault currents associated with the PM machine upon detection of a fault condition.