Niron Magnetics recently licensed patents for variable flux motors that offer a transformative approach to electric machine design, which, until now, has remained untapped.
MINNEAPOLIS—Niron Magnetics reported that it licensed a comprehensive portfolio of foundational Variable Flux Motor (VFM) patents, unlocking decades of cutting-edge motor research for commercial application. The licensing agreement positions Niron Magnetics to “enable next-generation electric motor performance across multiple industries,” according to a release from the company.
The licensed patent portfolio covers breakthrough motor design technologies that, when combined with Niron Magnetics’ rare-earth-free Iron Nitride magnets, are reported to enable “unprecedented efficiency and performance improvements across diverse applications.” These applications include HVAC systems, data center cooling, robotics, pumps, compressors, appliances, automotive traction, and other high-value use cases, the company said in the release.
Unlike conventional electric motors, variable flux motors eliminate the fundamental tradeoff between low-speed and high-speed efficiency. This enables benefits ranging from lower power consumption for data center cooling to greater range and smaller battery pack size in vehicle applications. As a result, VFMs are said to represent a transformative approach to electric machine design that has remained untapped until now, due to demanding magnetic material requirements.
“This licensing agreement is the result of decades of world-class motor research meeting the best of material science ingenuity to bring next-generation motor performance to commercial reality,” said Jonathan Rowntree, CEO of Niron Magnetics, in a statement. “Our Iron Nitride technology provides the missing piece that accelerates this achievement into industrial scalability, enabling multiple ongoing customer projects that are focused on commercializing breakthrough technology.”
According to Niron Magnetics, industry leaders agree that this is an important shift in motor design.
“Variable flux motors have been built and proven before,” said Daniel Hervén, CEO at Alvier Mechatronics, a global engineering and motor design firm, in the release. “What’s held these motors back is the lack of an ideal material. Rare earth magnets are not well-suited for this motor type. Until now, most VFM work was done with AlNiCo, but VFMs with AlNiCo magnets fall short of the performance needed for commercial use, and cobalt faces supply chain challenges. Iron Nitride presents the opportunity to unlock VFM for mainstream commercial use.”
The advancement of these innovative motors comes at a critical time, according to Niron Magnetics.
“As geopolitical tensions rise and demand for critical materials increases, Niron Magnetics’ magnets, made domestically from Iron Nitride and containing no rare earths, solve the problem of volatile rare earth supply chains for critical applications,” the release stated. “The fully domestically sourced magnets, combined with the motor design expertise of Niron Magnetics and its partners, are poised to both deliver significant performance improvements and secure a strong American motor industrial base.”