Finite element analysis of electrical machinery and devices

Design optimization and reliability assurance of electrical machinery and devices require accurate prediction of the magnetic field distribution in their active region. The finite element method offers a stable numerical solution technique with a high degree of precision. This method is based on formulating the partial differential equations of the magnetic field problem in variational terms and minimizing the associated functional by a set of trial functions. This paper describes the application of finite-element analysis to electric, magnetic and eddy-current field problems in rotating machinery, static apparatus, and devices. Some of the areas surveyed are magnetic fields in synchronous machines, dc generators, transformers, eddy-current problems in conducting media, and electrostatic applications.