Genetic Algorithm Based Power Density

Optimization of Radial Flux PMBLDC motor

Amit N. Patel1, Nirav Patel2, Pranay Patel2 Institute of Technology, Nirma University, Ahmedabad
1amit.patel@nirmauni.ac.in 2nirav2038@gmail.com 2pspatel2424@gmail.com

Abstract This paper presents Genetic Algorithm based

optimal design procedure for Radial flux PMBLDC motor.
Fitness function considered for the algorithm is power
density of motor. Power density of the motor is output
apparent power per unit volume of the motor. Aim is to
maximize the power density using GA based optimization
technique. Air gap flux density (Bg), Slot loading (Is),
Length of air gap (lg), Aspect ratio (Ar) and Split ratio (Sr)
are selected as design variables. At the end, FEM (Finite
Element Method) is used to validate optimized design
obtained from the algorithm.

Start

Accept user inputs for motor rating, type of material, fixed

parameters and assumed initial efficiency (int)

Calculate main dimensions

Design of stator: stator slot, stator core

and winding dimensions,

Keywords Genetic Algorithm (GA), Finite Element

Method (FEM), Radial flux PMBLDC motor, Computer
Aided Design (CAD).
I. INTRODUCTION
Permanent Magnet Brushless DC (PMBL DC) motors have
become popular because of various improvements made on
permanent magnets, power electronic devices and increasing
need to develop cheaper, lighter and energy efficient motors.
PMBLDC motors are used in selected areas of industry where
high efficiency, less weight and desired performance are
strongly required. PMBLDC motor designed using
conventional design procedures may not give desired
performance. However, performance of such motors can be
enhanced using design optimization techniques. In this paper,
2.2 kW, 230 V, 1450 rpm radial flux PMBLDC motor is
selected to illustrate GA based design optimization technique.
At first, motor is designed using developed computer aided
design (CAD) program [4]. Then, motor design is optimized
using GA based optimization process [3] [7]. At last, FEM
(Finite Element Method) is used to verify obtained optimized
design.
II. DESIGN OF RADIAL FLUX PMBLDC MOTOR
Design process of radial flux PMBLDC motor includes
main four steps i.e. calculation of main dimensions, stator
design, rotor design and calculation of performance
parameters [1] [2]. Flow chart of CAD program for designing
the motor is shown in Figure1. It contains all the design stages
stated above. In addition to that, two correction loops are
introduced in the program. Inner loop is for correcting
assumed air gap flux density (Bg (assumed)) so that error between
calculated Bg and Bg (assumed) is within tolerable limit (e1).
Similarly, outer loop is inserted to reduce the difference (e 2)
between calculated efficiency () and assumed initial
efficiency (int).

Calculate length of magnet (lm),

Design of rotor: rotor core, magnet
size

Decrease
int

Calculate air- gap flux density (Bg)

Calculate Bg = Bg - Bg (assumed)
Increase
lm
No

Is
Bg < e1?
Yes

Calculate performance parameters: phase

inductance, resistance, losses, weight and effi. ()

Calculate = int

No

Is
< e2?
Yes
End

FIG.1 Flowchart of CAD of Radial Flux PMBLDC motor

Stacking factor (Kst), winding factor (Kw), stator teeth

flux density (Bst), stator yoke flux density (Bsy), rotor yoke
flux density (Bry), leakage factor (Kl), and specific iron losses
(Wsi) are various assumed parameters considered in CAD
program.

Page 1|3

Bg

Is

lg

Ar

Sr

Fitness value

FIG. 2 String representation

III. GENETIC ALGORITHM

GA is one of the most powerful and reliable optimization
tools which is used in various engineering design problems.
This technique uses Darwins principle Survival of the
fittest to optimize particular fitness function. In figure 2
string representation is shown. It contains one value from each
design variable and fitness value calculated from those
variables. Several strings combine together to form a
population. Five design variables are selected with appropriate
range for algorithm.
Air gap flux density (Bg): 0.5-0.9 T
Electrical slot loading (Is): 100-400 A
Length of air gap (lg): 0.3-1 mm
Motor aspect ratio (Ar): 0.3-1.4
Motor split ratio (Sr): 0.3-0.7
The method is further divided into four operators that are
explained as follows and flowchart for the same is shown in
figure 3.

Start
Accept user inputs for No. of generations and population size

Generate initial population from

given range of design variables

Carry out selection process on population

Carry out crossover process on population

Carry out mutation process on population

No

Algorithm
ending
criteria

End

Yes
sEs
es

A. Generate population
This operator randomly generates population from available
ranges of design variables. Each chromosome in the
population is randomly generated to ensure diversity within
the population. Only one of the strings from the entire
population is taken from the initially developed CAD
program.

TABLE 1 Optimum power density of designed motor

B. Selection
The string which has highest value of objective function
is assigned fitness 2, others are given 1 and string with
lowest value is given 0 fitness. String with lowest fitness
value is discarded from the population and string with highest
fitness is retained with multiple copies.

TABLE 2 Optimized design parameters

C. Crossover
This operator interchanges two different strings from
particular population at random and this leads to generation of
two new different strings. In other words, it creates diversity
in population though there are multiple copies of same strings.
D. Mutation
Mutation operator brings sudden and random changes in
a string selected at random in given population. This operators
is incorporated in algorithm because in natural selection
process, mutation sometimes brings positive change leading to
generation of better string.
IV. POWER DENSITY OPTIMIZATION
In this optimization process, power density of the motor is
considered as fitness function for GA. Power density of motor
is output power of motor per unit volume. At first, only two
design variables Bg and Is are considered and optimized values

FIG. 3 Flowchart for main Genetic algorithm.

Design variables
Bg ,Is
Bg ,Is, lg
Bg ,Is, lg, Ar
Bg ,Is, lg, Ar, Sr

Optimum Power Density

(W/m3) x 106
1.3134
1.3259
1.3463
1.3725

Design variable

Optimized Value

Air gap flux density Bg (T)

Electrical slot loading Is (A)
Length of air gap lg (mm)
Motor aspect ratio Ar
Motor split ratio Sr

0.82
294
0.6
0.68
0.55

of variables as well as power density is found out. Then no. of

design variables are increased and same process is carried out.
From the result (Table 1) it is observed that as no. of design
variables increase optimum power density also increases.
Table 2 shows optimum values of design variables. Figure 4
shows plot of power density versus no. of generations.
Comparison of various flux densities and average motor
torque for CAD and GA based designs is shown in Table
3.Optimum design parameters obtained from GA are used to
carry out FEM analysis in order to validate optimized design.
Results obtained from FEM are then compared with GA
results. Figure 5 shows per unit relative comparison of both
GA and FEM results for 2.2 kW motor. Figure 6 shows flux
density plot of designed PMBLDC motor.

Page 2|3

V. CONCLUSION
Design optimization procedure of radial flux PMBLDC
motor is presented in this paper using Genetic Algorithm.
Fitness function taken for GA is power density of the motor.
Aim is to maximize power density up to possible value.
Maximum power density indicates that motor will run at
maximum power with least volume. Finite element method
(FEM) was carried out to confirm the methodical optimized
design. Results of FEM indicated that the results of analytical
optimization agree with those obtained by FEM.
VI. REFERENCES
1.
2.
FIG. 4 Power Density v/s no. of generations

3.

TABLE 3 Comparison of CAD and GA based designs

Average Torque(N-m)
Air gap flux density(T)
Stator core flux density(T)
Stator teeth flux density(T)
Rotor core flux density(T)

CAD based
design
CAD FEM
14.48
14.4
0.73
0.76
1.3
1.4
1.8
1.86
1.1
1.16

GA based
design
GA
FEM
14.48 14.5
0.78
0.795
1.3
1.45
1.8
1.9
1.1
1.15

4.

5.

.
6.

7.

D.C. Hanselman, Brushless Permanent Magnet

motor design. New York, McGraw-Hill, 1994.
J.R.Handershot and T.J.E Miller, Design of Brushless
Permanent Magnet motors, Oxford, U.K, 1994.
Reza Ilka, Ali Roustaei Tialki, Hossein AsgharpourAlamdari, Reza Baghipour, Design optimization of
Permanent Magnet-Brushless DC motor using Elitist
Genetic Algorithm with Minimum loss and Maximum
Power Density, IJMEC, January-2014.
Parag R. Upadhyay and K.R.Rajagopal, FE analysis
and CAD of Radial Flux Surface Mounted Permanent
Magnet Brushless DC Motors, IEEE Transactions
on Magnetics, vol.41, no. 10, October 2005.
Parag R. Upadhyay and K.R.Rajagopal, Genetic
Algorithm based design optimization of permanent
magnet brushless dc motor, Journal of applied
physics 97,10Q516 (2005)
N. Bianchi, S. Bolognani, Brushless DC motor
design: an optimization procedure based on genetic
algorithms, in Proc. International Conference on
Electrical Machines and Drives, UK, 1997, pp. 16-20.
J.L. Hippolyte, C. Espanet, D. Chamagne, C. Bloch,
and P. Chatonnay, Permanent Magnet Motor
Multiobjective Optimization Using Multiple Runs Of
An Evolutionary Algorithm, 2008 IEEE Vehicle
Power and Propulsion Conference, Harbin, China.

FIG. 5 Comparison of GA and FEM result with respect to CAD result

FIG. 6 Flux density profile of designed motor

Page 3|3