Electromagnetic fields and interactions in 3D cylindrical structures : modeling and application

The demand for more efficient and compact actuation systems results in a search for new electromagnetic actuator configurations. To obtain actuators that meet these challenging specifications, accurate modeling of the electromagnetic fields is often a prerequisite. To date, analytical modeling techniques are widely used to predict electromagnetic fields in classical rotary and linear machines represented in two dimensional coordinate systems. This thesis presents the extension of an analytical modeling technique to predict the 3D field distribution in new cylindrical actuator configurations. One specific technique that is used to analyze and design electromagnetic devices is based on Fourier series to describe sources and the resultingmagnetic fields. In this research, the harmonic modeling technique is extended to describe electromagnetic fields due to presence of permanent magnets in regular and irregular shaped 3D cylindrical structures. The researched modeling technique can be applied to current-free cylindrical problems exhibiting periodicity or a soft-magnetic boundary in the axial direction. The cylindrical structure can posses either circumferential slots, axial slots or rectangular cavities. The assignment and a method to solve the various boundary conditions are discussed in a generic manner to enable model application to a wide range of 3D cylindrical structures. The magnetic field solutions are provided, and the model implementation is presented in matrix form. Model validation is presented by means of a comparison of the magnetic fields in a cylindrical structure with a rectangular cavity calculated using the analytical model and a finite element model. To calculate the magnetic interactions, e.g., attraction and cogging forces due to permanent magnets, the Maxwell stress tensor is analytically evaluated. The harmonic magnetic field solution is used in this evaluation resulting in compact force equations describing the 3D force components between concentric cylinders.