Coupled Electromagnetic and Thermal Analysis of Electric Machines

Abstract

This paper deals with the design process of electric machines, proposing a design flowchart which couples the electromagnetic and thermal models of the machine, assisted by finite element techniques. The optimization of an electrical machine, in terms of the energy efficiency and cost reduction requirements, benefits from the coupling design of the electromagnetic and thermal models. It allows the maximization of the current density and, consequently, the torque/power density within thermal limits of the active materials. The proposed coupled electromagneticthermal analysis is demonstrated using a single-phase transformer of 1 kVA. Finite element analysis is carried out via ANSYS Workbench, using Maxwell 3D for the electromagnetic design, with resistive and iron losses directly coupled to a steady-state thermal simulation, in order to determine the temperature rise which, in turn, returns to electromagnetic model for material properties update.