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A motor that reduces dependence on Chinese raw materials
Industry News- Aug 29,24
The ferrite magnets used in these motors are supplied by Mahindra group’s CIE Automotive.
Mechanical engineer Gopal Sriram found his path to entrepreneurship after a chance encounter with IIT-Madras professor and innovator Ashok Jhunjhunwala in 2018. Sriram’s self-funded startup, Viridian Ingni Propulsion, has developed motors that not only reduce dependence on Chinese raw materials but are also "at least 30% cheaper than conventional motors."
Professor Jhunjhunwala, who established the IIT Madras Research Park in 2009, had shared with Sriram that the anticipated boom in electric vehicles would drive significant demand for motors. However, the downside was that existing motors rely on magnets made from rare earth materials like neodymium, dysprosium, and praseodymium—largely imported from China.
Leveraging his industrial experience from companies like Hallite India and Atlas Copco, Sriram embarked on creating motors that could operate using India-made ferrite magnets.
His efforts bore fruit as his six-month-old company recently introduced its ‘permanent magnet-assisted synchronous reluctance motors’ at a startup financiers’ meeting held at the IIT Madras Research Park.
These motors are a hybrid design, combining the strengths of reluctance motors with the added power of permanent magnets. In a motor, 'reluctance' refers to the torque generated as the rotor aligns itself to facilitate the magnetic field's flow. This blend of reluctance and permanent magnets results in motors that are powerful, efficient, reliable, yet simple and low-maintenance.
The ferrite magnets used in these motors are supplied by Mahindra group’s CIE Automotive.
Viridian's motor features rated power and torque of 1.2 kW and 4 Newton-metres; peak power and torque of 2 kW and 24 Nm; rated speed and peak speed of 2,865 rpm and 4,000 rpm, respectively; and an efficiency of 92%.
According to Sriram, Viridian’s motor outperforms competitors like CY Gold, Yufeng, and Lucas TVS in most performance metrics while being significantly more affordable. The cost advantage comes from using ferrite magnets, priced at Rs 350 per kg, instead of rare earth materials that cost around Rs 7,500 per kg.
The motor also excels in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A study by Keisuke Isomura of Toyota Motor Corporation revealed that producing 1 kg of rare earth magnet emits 75.8 kg of carbon dioxide, compared to just 1.57 kg for ferrite magnets.
Currently, the company is developing a controller for the motor, with testing expected to be completed by December. Sriram anticipates beginning production by June 2025, with an initial output of 1,000 units, primarily for e-rickshaws. Other applications include electric bikes and various appliances.
Viridian Ingni Propulsion has already secured a Rs 1 million grant from the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu and Rs 500,000 from the Central government’s Nidhi Prayas scheme for technology entrepreneurs. The production phase will require an initial funding of Rs 100 million, scaling up to Rs 500 million at full capacity.
(BusinessLine)
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