Generator Modeling in 2D and 3D

Using COMSOL Multiphysics

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and modified for your own internal use. All trademarks are the property of their respective
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Model Parameters
The cross-section of the machine is same as that of the
generator_2d.mph example from Application Libraries. http://
www.comsol.com/model/generator-in-2d-2122
In these examples, the stator coils are modeled using Multi-Turn
Coil feature.
The additional parameters for 2D, 2D-sector and 3D Model are
defined as below:

Generator Full Model in 2D

Stator Iron
Air gap region between stator and rotor

Permanent Magnets
(Black arrow is the direction of magnetization)

Rotor Iron
Stator Coils
(This is model as a Multi-Turn Coil domains.
Red & Black color means opposite current polarity)

Note: The stator winding consists of 100 turn of wires with cross-sectional diameter of 3[mm].
That is each red and black circle consists of 100 wires of diameter 3[mm].
The length of the generator is 0.4[m].

See Model File:

generator_2d_full_NonlinearMaterial_QuadraticElement.mph

Generator Sector in 2D Method I

Generator Sector with only one Permanent Magnet and two
Stator Windings with opposite polarity.
Sector Symmetry
(Antiperiodicity)

Periodic Condition
(Antiperiodicity)

Note: The total voltage induced in the stator coil is given by:
Voltage = rmm.Vcoil_1*number of sectors = rmm.Vcoil_1*8

See Model File:

generator_2d_NonlinearMaterial_QuadraticElement_OneMagnet.mph

Generator Sector in 2D Method I

Sector Symmetry
(Antiperiodicity)

Periodic Condition
(Antiperiodicity)

Note: The total voltage induced in the stator coil is given by:
Voltage = rmm.Vcoil_1*number of sectors = rmm.Vcoil_1*8

See Model File:

generator_2d_NonlinearMaterial_QuadraticElement_OneMagnet.mph

Generator Sector in 2D Method II

Generator Sector with two Permanent Magnets
pieces (Half size) and two Stator Windings with
same polarity.
Sector Symmetry
(Antiperiodicity)

Periodic Condition
(Antiperiodicity)

Note: The total voltage induced in the stator coil is given by:
Voltage = rmm.Vcoil_1*number of sectors*2= rmm.Vcoil_1*16

See Model File:

generator_2d_NonlinearMaterial_QuadraticElement_TwoMagnets.mph

Generator Sector in 2D Method II

Sector Symmetry
(Antiperiodicity)

Periodic Condition
(Antiperiodicity)

Note: The total voltage induced in the stator coil is given by:
Voltage = rmm.Vcoil_1*number of sectors*2= rmm.Vcoil_1*16

See Model File:

generator_2d_NonlinearMaterial_QuadraticElement_TwoMagnets.mph

Generator Sector 3D Model:

Geometry
Permanent Magnet

Stator Iron

Rotor Iron

Multi-Turn coil domain

Since the geometry is symmetric about the rotor axis, we can retrieve results for a
full 3D geometry by simply solving a portion of it (image on the right). This means
that only 1/16 of the original geometry must be solved.

Generator Sector 3D Model:

Geometry
Stator Iron
Permanent Magnet

Rotor Iron

Multi-Turn coil domain

Model is reduced 16 times compared with the full 3D geometry.

Geometry Finalization
Two separate Unions are formed for the different rotor and stator
domains.
Form Assemblyis used to finalize the geometry, automatically
creating identity pairsunderDefinitions.

Identity Pair

Identity Pair is createdunderDefinitions once the Geometry is finalized using

Form Assembly. Note that the Source Boundaries are a part of the stator
(Stationary Domains) and Destination Boundaries are a part of the rotor
(Rotating Domains)
NOTE: In some cases you might have to manually correct these source and
destination boundaries by using swap .

Mixed Formulation (MSP+MVP)

Multi-Turn coil domain
Permanent Magnet
Stator Iron
Rotor Iron

Modeling Approach:
Rotor + Air region between rotor and stator => Magnetic Scalar
Potential (BLUE COLOR)
Stator (Iron+ Coil + Air region on stator) => Magnetic Vector Potential
(RED COLOR)
See this
blog1.
post:
NOTE:
Identity pair should always be applied only in the Magnetic Scalar Potential

http://www.comsol.com/blogs/how-to-model-rotating-machinery-in-3d/
region.

2. The Magnetic Scalar Potential region should not contain any loop currents for

Mixed Formulation: Alternative Approach

Multi-Turn coil domain
Permanent Magnet
Stator Iron
Rotor Iron

Modeling Approach:
Air region between rotor and stator => Magnetic Scalar Potential (BLUE
COLOR)
Rotor + Stator (Iron+ Coil + Air region on stator) => Magnetic Vector
Potential (RED COLOR)
NOTE: This approach is useful if you have a current carrying conductors in rotor or induced
currents in the rotor iron, which should be modeled using the Amperes Law. Since the coil is
located in the stator region, you MUST always model it using the Magnetic Vector Potential.

Not Supported Setup: Avoid This

Permanent Magnet
Multi-Turn coil domain
Rotor Iron

Stator Iron

For both configurations shown in previous two slides, the MSP regions are
simply connected. In other words, they do not include any MSP regions
containing a closed loop that "chains" the current carrying conductor.
Caution: Illustrated in the image above is an invalid topology example where
the entire air region is assigned an MSP. A closed curve in the MSP region
"chains" an MVP region that is carrying a current (stator coil). Such a
topological issue should be avoided.

Generator Sector 3D Model: Mesh

Free Triangular mesh is used in
one of coil input boundary and
also in the cut sector boundaries.
Swept mesh is used in the Air gap
(between stator and rotor)
Swept mesh is also used in MultiTurn Coil region to reduce the
model size.
Periodic mesh is used: i.e. Copy
Face feature is applied in the
periodic boundary condition.
Finer mesh is used in the rotor
side boundary compared to that
of the stator boundary.
Free Tetrahedral mesh is used for
the remaining domains

ee this blog for effective meshing:

ttp://www.comsol.com/blogs/improving-your-meshing-with-swept-meshes/

Free Triangular

Linear Mesh Elements & Linear Material

Use Linear Elements for both

- Magnetic Vector Potential
- Magnetic Scalar Potential
Use Linear Material (Soft Iron) with
relative permeability = 1000.
* Number of DOF Solved = 24584
*Total time to solve model = 9
Minutes
*Memory Used: Less then 2GB
NOTE: See Model file:
generator_3d_sector_half_LinearElement_LinearMaterial.m
ph

Linear Mesh Elements & Nonlinear Material

Use Linear Elements for both
- Magnetic Vector Potential
- Magnetic Scalar Potential
* Number of DOF Solved = 24482
*Total time to solve model = 14 Minutes
*Memory Used: Less then 2GB

The linear material nodes are solved

(enabled) in Step 2: Stationary: Linear
Material
The nonlinear material nodes are solved
(enabled) in Step 3: Stationary: Nonlinear
Material and also in Step 4: Time
Dependent

NOTE: See Model file:

generator_3d_sector_half_LinearElement_NonLinearMateria
l.mph

Linear Mesh Elements & Nonlinear Material (contd.)

Model file:
generator_3d_sector_half_LinearElement_NonLinearMateria
l.mph
This model is setup using Linear Mesh elements.
Both Linear Material as well as nonlinear material are used in the
model. The Stationary study is solved using the linear material
with relative permeability of 1000 and the solution is used to solve
the Stationary study using nonlinear material (BH and HB Curves).
Finally, the Time Dependent study is solved using the nonlinear
material model, but using solution from Stationary study using
nonlinear material.
Note that the relative tolerance of the Stationary study using
nonlinear material is tighten to 1e-6, which will help for
convergence in Time Dependent Solver.

Induced Voltage in the Stator Coil

e total induced voltage obtained from 3D model is very similar to that of 2D mod
NOTE: See Model file:
generator_3d_sector_half_LinearElement_NonLinearM
aterial.mph

Using Quadratic Mesh Elements

and Nonlinear BH Curve

- Default Quadratic Mesh Elements are used for both Magnetic Vector Potenti
and Magnetic Scalar Potential regions
- Nonlinear BH Curve is used in Rotor Iron (in Magnetic Scalar Potential region
- Nonlinear HB Curve is used in Stator Iron (in Magnetic Vector Potential regio
*Number of DOF Solved = 120303
*Total time to solve model = 1hr and 40
minutes
*Memory Used: About 4GB
NOTE: See Model file:
generator_3d_sector_half_QuadraticElement_NonLinearMa
terial.mph

Induced Voltage in the Stator Coil

te that the induced voltage is similar to that of linear mesh element model.
NOTE: See Model file:
generator_3d_sector_half_QuadraticElement_NonLinearM
aterial.mph

Improving Performance

Model only a sector of the full Geometry. This is true for both 2D
geometry as well as 3D Geometry.
Solve the model with Linear Mesh Elements. First enable the
Discretization from Show (small eye like icon) in the Model
Builder and change the Discretization to Linear in the settings
window for Rotating Machinery, Magnetic (rmm) interface.
Using the linear material models instead of nonlinear materials
whenever appropriate.
Using the structured mesh in the model, the number of degree of
freedom in the model can be significantly reduced. For example,
use swept mesh in the coils. See this blog for more information:
http://www.comsol.com/blogs/improving-your-meshing-with-swept
-meshes
/

Improving the Convergence

Using the linear material models instead of nonlinear materials whenever

appropriate. The linear material are easier to handle for numerical
simulations.
If you have to use the nonlinear materials, for example, BH or HB Curves
in magnetic simulations, the convergence can be improve by first solving
with the linear materials and using the results from linear material model
as the initial values for the nonlinear material model simulations.
Similarly, if you have a nonlinear time dependent simulations, you could
use the nonlinear stationary solver with tighten relative tolerances, for
example, 1e-6 as the initial condition for time dependent solver.
If you have permanent magnets in the time dependent models, you
would need to first solve the magnetic fields due to permanent magnets
using the Stationary study followed by the Time Dependent study.
If you have a finite element model coupled with the circuit model from
the Electrical Circuit physics, you MUST use Fully Coupled Direct solver to
correctly solved the model.
For improving the convergence of a nonlinear magnetic materials model,
see this knowledge base entry:
http://www.comsol.com/support/knowledgebase/1127 /

Generator Sector 3D Model: Results

Generator Sector 3D Model: Results

Comments
1. Start with 2D modeling approach
2. Look for Symmetry for both in 2D and 3D
3. Make a smallest 3D model using
Symmetry
4. In 3D first start with Linear Elements and
Linear Material
5. Final Step: solve the 3D model using
Quadratic Elements & Nonlinear Materials.

Additional Resources

A 2D generator model from the Applications Library: http://

www.comsol.com/model/generator-in-2d-2122
A tutorial model on 3D rotating machinery: http://
www.comsol.com/model/rotating-machinery-3d-tutorial-10437
COMSOL Blog on How to model rotating machinery in 3D:
http://www.comsol.com/blogs/how-to-model-rotating-machinery-in-3d /
COMSOL Blog on Guidelines for Modeling Rotating Machines in 3D:
http
://www.comsol.com/blogs/guidelines-for-modeling-rotating-machines-in3d
/