Analysis of methods and approaches of the electromagnetic calculation of induction machines regarding their use to solve multiphysical problems

Abstract

Purpose For the electromagnetic simulation of electrical machines, models with different ranges of values, levels of detail and accuracies are used. In this paper, numerical and two analytical models of an induction machine (IM) are analysed with respect to these aspects. The purpose of the paper is to use these analyses to discuss the suitability of the models for the simulation of various physical quantities of an IM. Design/methodology/approach An exemplary IM is simulated using the two-dimensional numerical finite element method, an analytical harmonic wave model (HWM) and an extended HWM. The simulation results are analyzed among themselves in terms of their level of detail and accuracy. Furthermore, the results of operating map simulations are compared with measured operating maps of the exemplary machine, and the accuracy of the simulation approaches is discussed in the context of measurement deviations and uncertainties. Findings The difference in the accuracy of the machine models depends on the physical quantity of interest. Therefore, the choice of the simulation method depends on the nature of the problem and the expected range of results. For modeling global machine quantities, such as mean torque or losses, analytical methods such as the HWM s are sufficient in many applications because the simulation results are within the range of measurement accuracy of current measurement systems. Analytical methods are also suitable for local flux density curves under certain conditions. However, for the simulation of the influence of local physical effects on the machine behavior and of temporally highly resolved quantities in saturated operating points, the accuracy of the analytical models decreases and the use of the finite element method becomes necessary. Originality/value In this paper, an extension of the HWM is used to calculate the IM, which, in contrast to the HWM, models the saturation. Furthermore, the simulation results of the different electromagnetic IM models are put into the context of the uncertainty of a measurement of several identical IMs.