ABB has globally launched its new series of permanent magnet (PM) motors with water-jacket cooling, extending its series of electric motors.
The new PM motor series is designed to support growing cross-industry demand for compact, energy-efficient and low-noise solutions.
Additionally, the motors are designed for operation with ABB frequency converter drives, enabling optimized system configurations and flexible integration into modern electrification architectures.
ABB says the marine industry stands to benefit due to its transformation toward electrification, hybridization and the adoption of alternative fuels. According to the company, permanent magnet motors are increasingly recognized as a core technology for next-generation vessels, enabling higher efficiency, reduced noise and improved maneuverability – especially for tugboats, offshore support vessels, ferries and hybrid ships.
The series is currently offered in frame sizes 500 and 710, with power ratings up to 5MW. However, larger frame sizes are feasible and can be supported, allowing the platform to scale with future application and industry requirements.
The new PM motor reportedly delivers premium efficiency up to 98%, strong torque density and significantly reduced losses across the full operating range. This efficiency translates directly into lower energy consumption, reduced fuel or battery use, and significantly decreased CO2 emissions over the equipment’s lifecycle.
The motor’s water-jacket cooling system, combined with an optimized mechanical structure, provides strong thermal performance without requiring external fan units or top coolers. ABB says this enables customers to benefit from up to 60% reduction in mounting volume, 30-40% lower vertical height and 5-15% lower weight compared with conventional alternatives – critical advantages for L-drive azimuth thrusters, electric tugboats, offshore support vessels and other applications where machinery space is constrained.
“Across many industries, our customers are working to decarbonize, improve energy performance and fit more capability into tighter spaces,” said Tatu Järvenpää, business line manager for motors and generators at ABB. “This new permanent magnet series combines ABB’s latest advances in magnet technology, cooling innovation and engineering to deliver more power in less space – with the reliability and lifecycle performance the industry expects from ABB. By pairing our new PM motors with ABB drives, customers gain a seamlessly engineered package backed by ABB’s global service network.”
The motor features a fully enclosed rotor design, magnet protection and ABB’s patented PM module technology to prevent corrosion and withstand demanding environments. A uniform innerloop cooling architecture improves temperature stability around magnet modules and coil ends, enhancing demagnetization resistance and long-term reliability.
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