Extraction of circuit parameters from time stepping FEM computation for coupled field‐circuit simulation

Abstract

Purpose

To provide a general method for coupled simulation of electrical machines and circuits, using finite element analysis and a circuit/system simulator.

Design/methodology/approach

The electrical machine is modelled by dynamic inductance and electromotive force (EMF), which are determined by finite element analysis and updated in time‐stepping procedure. Calculation of these parameters is based on current perturbations that are applied on linearized field equations after determining the operating point by nonlinear analysis.

Findings

Based on the case studies, the presented method can be utilized in coupled field‐circuit simulation and the results correlate with those obtained by other known methods. The results were also validated according to experimental data.

Research limitations/implications

Calculation of the EMF and the presented implementation for SIMULINK have some limitations regarding the accuracy and stability of the numerical integration. In the future, the numerical methods could be still improved and the implementations could be extended to other simulators.

Practical implications

Since the presented methodology is of a general type, the research provides means to include field‐circuit coupling into a variety of different simulation software.

Originality/value

Definitions of the circuit parameters differ from the conventional ones, as a result of which the parameter extraction can be performed in computation‐effective way. The benefits of the research are met widely, since the general‐purpose methodology is not limited to any single software.

Citation

Kanerva, S. and Arkkio, A. (2006), "Extraction of circuit parameters from time stepping FEM computation for coupled field‐circuit simulation", COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering, Vol. 25 No. 2, pp. 334-343. https://doi.org/10.1108/03321640610649014