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FINITE ELEMENTS FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

INTRODUCTION TO ELECTROMAGNETISM

Reduction of a 3D problem to a 2D problem


The 3D problem is reduced considering the symmetry of the system. The
symmetries can be of two kinds:

Plane
symmetry.
The
electromagnetic phenomena are
supposed to be identical on each
plane perpendicular to an axis,
called a symmetry axis. The field is
identical on each section of the
element normal to the z-axis, if we
suppose an infinite length of the
system and neglecting the end
effects.

The analysis is then given on the (x,y) plane. The solution is very simply and
easily obteined. For example on the magnetosttic problem, we can obtain
the following conditions:
o The current density vector J has the z axis component
J = (0,0, J z ) , only. This component can be a function of the x and y
coordinates, i.e. J z = J z ( x, y ) .
o The magnetic vector potential A has a component parallel to
vector J only, that is the z axis component, A = (0,0, Az ) . This
component is a function of the x and y coordinates, i.e.
Az = Az ( x, y ) .
o The flux density vector B has components only on the (x,y) plane,
as obtained from:
B = A
That is:
A

A
B = z z 0
x
y

Axial symmetry. The electromagnetic


phenomena are supposed as identical on
each semi-plane obtained by rotation
through a fixed axis.

R. Bargall. ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTAMENT. EUETIB-UPC

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FINITE ELEMENTS FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

INTRODUCTION TO ELECTROMAGNETISM

The analysis is then given on the (r,z) plane. The solution is very simple and
easy. For example on the magnetosttic problem, we can obtain the
following conditions:
o The current density vector J has axis component J = (0, J ,0 ) ,
only. This component can be a function of the r and z coordinates,
i.e. J = J (r , z ) .
o The magnetic vector potential A has component parallel to vector
J only, that is axis component, A = (0, A ,0) . This component is
a function of the r and coordinates, i.e. A = A (r , z ) .
o The flux density vector B has components only on the (r, ) plane,
as obtained from:
B = A
That is:
1
A
(r A )
B= 0
r r
z

Materials properties. Linear and Non-linear models


It is possible to apply Maxwells equations in various situations and in
combinations of different materials. For this purpose it is necessary to introduce
the concept of magnetic anisotropy. Consider a material whose magnetic
permeability is dominant in a certain direction. One such material is a sheet of
iron with grain-oriented structure or thin plates made of sheet metal which form,
for example, the core of a transformer, as in the following figure.

x >> y
x
It is reasonable to assume that in both cases, the magnetic flux flows more
easily in the direction Ox. In the first case, this is due to the orientation of the
grains and in the second due to the presence of small gaps between the layers
R. Bargall. ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTAMENT. EUETIB-UPC

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FINITE ELEMENTS FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

INTRODUCTION TO ELECTROMAGNETISM

of sheet metal. Assuming a field intensity H whose components Hx and Hy are


equal to H and if x and y are the permeabilities in the direction Ox and Oy
respectively, we have:

Bx = x H x
By = y H y

We note that Bx is larger than By. We conclude that the relation

B = H
where is a scalar, is not general since it does not satisfy the cases above
mentioned. Because of this, we introduce the concept of permeability tensor
denoted by . In general form, the relation between B and H can be written as:

Bx x
B =
y xy
B z xz
B = H

xy
y
yz

xz H x

yz H y
z H z

In general applications we can write similar relations to other characteristics,


such as the conductivity or permittivity:

E = D
J = E
Besides the concept of anisotropy, which complicates the study of magnetic and
electric materials, we introduce another phenomenon, frequently encountered in
electromagnetic devices. In these devices, the magnetic permeability is not
constant but depends on the particular value of H in the magnetic material in
question. This phenomenon is called non-linearity or saturation. The general
relation between B and H is now:
B = (H ) H

In some cases the better option, for numerical calculation, is to use the inverse
of . This is called magnetic reluctivity :

= ( B)

To avoid the use of negative values of B, we can use a modified relation


between and B2.

= (B 2 )
R. Bargall. ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTAMENT. EUETIB-UPC

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FINITE ELEMENTS FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

INTRODUCTION TO ELECTROMAGNETISM

For numerical stability this function must be continuous and differentiable. A


number of approximations are possible from polynomials to exponentials. A
popular selection is the cubic spline. This method gives piecewise cubic
polynomials that are continuous with continuous derivatives.

The above figure shows the hysteresis loop for a magnetic material. The
discontinuous line shows the named normal magnetisation curve. For soft
magnetic materials, the hysteresis loop is narrow and this line is a good
approximation. For hard magnetic materials (permanent magnets) the treatment
is slightly different. The next section is dedicated to the modelling of permanent
magnets.

Permanent magnets (PM) modelling.


The development of high energy permanent magnet materials such as SmCo
and NdFeB has led to increased interest in the use of permanent magnet
material in electrical machines and actuators. As mentioned in the last section,
ferromagnetic materials are characterised by a narrow hysteresis loop. In
contrast, hard magnetic materials such as PM exhibit wide loops. It is often
acceptable to consider the magnetic characteristic of a PM by a straight line in
the second quadrant of the hysteresis loop. The intersection of the hysteresis
loop with the ordinate is called the residual or remanence flux density Br. The
intersection of the abscissa and the loop is called the coercitive force
Hc. There are two possibilities for the modelling of a PM material:

Magnetisation model
Current sheet approach

R. Bargall. ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTAMENT. EUETIB-UPC

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