Ph.D. candidate in Ingegneria Elettrica, Elettronica E Delle Comunicazioni , 39th cycle (2023-2026)
Department of Energy (DENERG)
Profile
PhD
Research topic
Multiphysics design and optimization of high-speed electrical machines (induction, PM, synchronous reluctance): electromagnetic, thermal, rotor stress and rotordynamic analysis
Tutors
Keywords
Biography
His research addresses the design of high-speed electrical machines operating up to 100,000 rpm, including synchronous reluctance, induction and permanent-magnet machines. His approach brings the full multiphysics chain (electromagnetic, thermal, mechanical stress and rotordynamic analysis) into a single design and optimization workflow, validated against finite-element analysis and prototype measurements.
Main contributions include the design, optimization and prototyping of 100,000 rpm synchronous reluctance motors with additively manufactured bimetallic (FeSi/316L) rotors; experimentally calibrated loss models for high-speed solid-rotor induction motors; the structural and rotordynamic design of a hybrid laminated-solid rotor for a 100,000 rpm induction motor; and material selection for a 100 kW sleeved permanent-magnet motor. He is also developing an in-house Python machine-design tool, from sizing to losses and performance, whose electromagnetic results agree with Motor-CAD within 1%.
From April 2025 to March 2026 he was a visiting researcher with the Power Electronics, Machines and Control Group at the University of Nottingham (UK). His work has led to eleven publications, including a first-author paper in the IEEE Open Journal of Industry Applications and papers at IEEE ECCE, IEEE IEMDC and ICEM. He serves as a reviewer for IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion and IEEE Industry Applications Society publications.
Awards and Honors
- Oral presentation at ICEM 2026, 27th International Conference on Electrical Machines, Funchal, Portugal - Oral Session 33, 8 Sep 2026, 16:40: Y. Cui, M. R. Ilkhani, C. Gerada, A. Cavagnino, "Laminated Material Modeling and Mechanical Stress Analysis of Hybrid Laminated-Solid Rotor Core for High-Speed High-Power Induction Motors". Attached: certificate of participation and programme page. (2026)
- Oral presentation at ICEM 2026, 27th International Conference on Electrical Machines, Funchal, Portugal - Oral Session 52, 9 Sep 2026, 14:20: Y. Cui, B. Mecrow, A. Cavagnino, "Material Selection and Multidisciplinary Design of a High-Power, High-Speed Sleeved Permanent-Magnet Synchronous Motor". Attached: certificate of participation and programme page. (2026)
- Oral presentation at ICEM 2024, 26th International Conference on Electrical Machines, Torino, Italy (1-4 Sep 2024): Y. Cui, B. Mecrow, A. Cavagnino, "Multidisciplinary Design Methodology for Ultra-High-Speed PM Motors". Attached: certificate of attendance. (2024)
Publications
Latest publications View all publications in Porto@Iris
- Cui, Yulong; Cavagnino, Andrea; Tonoli, Andrea; Gianassi, Chiara; Fortunato, Alessandro; ... (2026)
TUrBO: the Next 100,000+ RPM Synchronous Reluctance Drives. In: IEEE OPEN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, vol. 7, pp. 1040-1058. ISSN 2644-1241
Contributo su Rivista - Gianassi, Chiara; Liverani, Erica; Cavagnino, Andrea; Zarri, Luca; Ascari, Alessandro; ... (2025)
Laser directed energy deposition of FeSi/SS 316L advanced bimetallic high-speed rotors: From material characterization to performance evaluation. In: ADVANCES IN INDUSTRIAL AND MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING, vol. 11. ISSN 2666-9129
Contributo su Rivista - Cui, Yulong; Gianassi, Chiara; Rizzoli, Gabriele; Fortunato, Alessandro; Zarri, Luca; ... (2025)
Prototyping and Optimization of 100,000 rpm Additively Manufactured SyR Rotors. In: 2025 IEEE Energy Conversion Conference Congress and Exposition (ECCE), Philadelphia, USA, 19-23 October 2025, pp. 1-7. ISBN: 979-8-3315-4130-9
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Cui, Yulong; Darmani, Mostafa Ahmadi; Gerada, Chris; Cavagnino, Andrea (2025)
Experimentally Calibrated FEA Models for Losses Analysis of High-Speed Induction Motors Equipped with Cage Solid Rotors. In: 2025 IEEE International Electric Machines and Drives Conference, IEMDC 2025, Houston, TX, USA, 2025, pp. 776-781. ISBN: 979-8-3503-7659-3
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Cui, Yulong; Gianassi, Chiara; Fortunato, Alessandro; Zarri, Luca; Cavagnino, Andrea (2024)
High-Speed Synchronous Reluctance Motors with Additively Manufactured Rotors. In: 2024 IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition, ECCE 2024, Phoenix, AZ, USA, 2024, pp. 5024-5031. ISBN: 979-8-3503-7606-7
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding)