Magnax Axial Flux Permanent Magnet Electric Motor / Generator

Magnax (www.magnax.com) recently finished the first production prototype of the axial flux direct-drive machine (permanent magnet) which will be used in the new generation of wind turbines and electric machinery.

To give you an idea; for the same power and torque, a 100kW axial flux machine weighs only 850 kg while a traditional direct-drive machine weighs about 4000 kg.

Besides the weight advantage, the axial flux technology brings other advantages such as a much more compact size, high efficiency (up to 98% for larger sizes), very high reliability, easy to scale while the production cost stays low.