Open AccessModelling of axial‐flux eddy‐current couplers
Author(s) -
Mohammadi Sajjad,
Kirtley James,
Niaz Azari Milad
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
iet electric power applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1751-8679
DOI - 10.1049/iet-epa.2019.0753
Subject(s) - eddy current , saturation (graph theory) , magnet , finite element method , magnetic flux , magnetic circuit , flux (metallurgy) , mechanics , mechanical engineering , current (fluid) , engineering , materials science , magnetic field , electrical engineering , physics , structural engineering , mathematics , quantum mechanics , metallurgy , combinatorics
Analytical models are widely employed in the design of electromagnetic devices. This study presents a flux‐tube model for axial‐flux eddy‐current couplers with surface magnets. Thanks to the developed three‐dimensional magnetic equivalent circuit, the proposed model is able to handle complex geometries and take into account all dimensional parameters and material properties such as iron saturation and permanent magnet (PM) characteristics. In addition, the associated practical design considerations including iron saturation, demagnetisation criteria, actual current paths, and heating conditions are analytically presented. Also, a three‐dimensional finite‐element analysis is utilised in the assessment of the model. Finally, a prototype is made to experimentally analyse the design and confirm analytical and numerical results.