The bio-inspired algorithms are novel, modern, and efficient tools for the design of electrical machines. However, from the mathematical point of view, these problems belong to the most general branch of non-linear optimization problems, where these tools cannot guarantee that a global minimum is found. The numerical cost and the accuracy of these algorithms depend on the initialization of their internal parameters, which may themselves be the subject of parameter tuning according to the application. In practice, these optimization problems are even more challenging, because engineers are looking for robust designs, which are not sensitive to the tolerances and the manufacturing uncertainties. These criteria further increase these computationally expensive problems due to the additional evaluations of the goal function. The goal of this paper is to give an overview of the widely used optimization techniques in electrical machinery and to summarize the challenges and open problems in the applications of the robust design optimization and the prospects in the case of the newly emerging technologies.

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Part 14: Energy: SimulationInternational audienceSuperconducting fault current limiters are considered as emerging devices for the advent of modern power grids. Those limiters as well as other electric power grid applications have been developed in the last years in order to support the increased penetration of dispersed generation. The development of such limiters requires new design tools that allows to simulate those devices in electrical power grids with different voltage ratings and characteristics. This work presents a methodology to simulate the behaviour of saturated core type limiters based on its characteristic curves. A prototype is tested to obtain its characteristic and then the methodology is implemented in Simulink. The simulation carried out by the proposed methodology is compared with a real test

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Sand pile and Bean models have already been applied to describe single grain HTS bulks. An extension to that approach was used to model multiseed bulks, needed for several practical applications as electric motors or flywheels with superconducting bearings. The use of genetic algorithms was then proposed to determine intra-and intergrain current densities, and application to two and three seeds samples using trapped flux experimental measurements was exemplified. However, this model assumed some simplifications, as equal properties in grain boundaries between neighboring grains. In this paper an extension to this methodology is proposed and evaluated by analyzing measurements performed in plans at different distances from surfaces of samples with three seeds. Discussion of its influence on a practical application is also explored.

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