BELFEM: a special purpose finite element code for the magnetodynamic modeling of high-temperature superconducting tapes

Abstract

Predicting the performance and reliability of high-temperature superconducting
(HTS) cables and magnets is a critical component of their research and development
process. Novelmixed finite element formulations, particularly the h-φ-formulation
with thin-shell simplification, present promising opportunities for more efficient simulations
of larger geometries. To integrate these novel methods into an accessible and flexible
tool, we are developing the Berkeley Lab Finite Element Framework (BELFEM). This
paper provides an overview of the pertinent formulations, discusses the current state of
the art, and delves into the primary aspects of the BELFEM code structure. We validate
a first 2D thin-shell implementation in BELFEM against selected benchmarks computed
in COMSOL Multiphysics and compare the performance of our code with a comparable
formulation in GetDP. We also outline the next steps in the development process, paving
the way for more advanced and robust modeling capabilities