Electromagnetic and Mechanical Analysis of an Interior Permanent Magnet Motor
Application ID: 119371
The magnets in an Interior Permanent Magnet (IPM) motor are embedded in the rotor core, where they form narrow regions known as bridges. The thickness of the magnetic bridge is an important parameter to consider in design, both from the electromagnetic and the mechanical perspectives. As the magnetic saturation in bridge areas affect the electromagnetic characteristics of an IPM, the thickness of the bridge should be kept minimum to reduce losses. However, during high-speed rotation, these narrow bridges also experience high stress, caused by centrifugal forces. These two conflicting aspects make the design and analysis of an IPM motor challenging.
In this example, the coupling between Solid Mechanics and Rotating Machinery, Magnetic for performing electromagnetic and mechanical analysis of an IPM motor is demonstrated. A motor with 10 rotor poles and 12 stator slots is modeled in 2D. The magnets are embedded in a V-shaped configuration inside the rotor core. The connection between the magnets and the rotor core is modeled as springs. The results give insight into magnetic flux density and stress distribution in the system.
This model example illustrates applications of this type that would nominally be built using the following products:
however, additional products may be required to completely define and model it. Furthermore, this example may also be defined and modeled using components from the following product combinations:
- COMSOL Multiphysics® and
- AC/DC Module and
- either the Multibody Dynamics Module, or Structural Mechanics Module and
- either the Acoustics Module, MEMS Module, or Structural Mechanics Module
The combination of COMSOL® products required to model your application depends on several factors and may include boundary conditions, material properties, physics interfaces, and part libraries. Particular functionality may be common to several products. To determine the right combination of products for your modeling needs, review the Specification Chart and make use of a free evaluation license. The COMSOL Sales and Support teams are available for answering any questions you may have regarding this.