Using scaled FE solutions for an efficient coupled electromagnetic–thermal induction machine model

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to use a scaling approach to scale the solutions of a beforehand-simulated finite element (FE) solution of an induction machine (IM). The scaling procedure is coupled to an analytic three-node-lumped parameter thermal network (LPTN) model enabling the possibility to adjust the machine losses in the simulation to the actual calculated temperature.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed scaling procedure of IMs allows the possibility to scale the solutions, particularly the losses, of a beforehand-performed FE simulation owing to temperature changes and therefore enables the possibility of a very general multiphysics approach by coupling the FE simulation results of the IM to a thermal model in a very fast and efficient way. The thermal capacities and resistances of the three-node thermal network model are parameterized by analytical formulations and an optimization procedure. For the parameterization of the model, temperature measurements of the IM operated in the 30-min short-time mode are used.

Findings

This approach allows an efficient calculation of the machine temperature under consideration of temperature-dependent losses. Using the proposed scaling procedure, the time to simulate the thermal behavior of an IM in a continuous operation mode is less than 5 s. The scaling procedure of IMs enables a rapid calculation of the thermal behavior using FE simulation data.

Originality/value

The approach uses a scaling procedure for the FE solutions of IMs, which results in the possibility to weakly couple a finite element method model and a LPTN model in a very efficient way.

Citation

Nell, M.M., Groschup, B. and Hameyer, K. (2021), "Using scaled FE solutions for an efficient coupled electromagnetic–thermal induction machine model", COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering, Vol. 40 No. 2, pp. 267-279. https://doi.org/10.1108/COMPEL-01-2020-0019