High-Speed Electric Motors for Fuel Cell Compressor System Used for EV Application—Review and Perspectives

This study introduces a review on high-speed electrical motors (HSEMs) used for fuel cell (FC) compressor systems, to feed air into the FC stack. This technology is designed for electric vehicle (EV) applications. First, an evaluation of electrical machines as the main energy consumers of EVs is conducted to situate the current study in terms of the mechanical characteristics. Next, the main electrical motor configurations found in the scientific literature, and suitable for applications in FC compressor systems, are presented. Three case studies are depicted to identify the main challenges of this application in terms of the mechanical robustness and efficiency. Finally, a perspective on improving the energetic performance of HSEMs is presented, in terms of the materials used, the shape of the geometry, the winding type and insulation, the cooling, and the optimization techniques used to maximize the performance of HSEMs.