Rapid axial-flux motor analysis – New in Simcenter E-Machine Design 2412
The analysis of an axial-flux machine requires three dimensions because of its inherent three-dimensional magnetic flux paths. Thus, to accurately predict its performance, you must consider the complex interactions between the 3D magnetic components, especially for NVH and structural performance. Unfortunately, 2D analysis, with its faster solving speeds, neglects one of the components, whereas the 3D FEA is time-prohibitive in design exploration.
Save weeks of work with an improved axial-flux EMAG workflow
To reduce the cost of electric vehicles, manufacturers must lightweight their powertrains by optimizing their motor’s power density, a characteristic that axial-flux motors excel at. However, the requisite 3D design exploration will be slow and prohibitive. The solution is to explore early concepts with equivalent analytical models in Simcenter E-Machine Design. Once your initial design converges, it is automatically sent to the 3D environment of Simcenter 3D for a detailed multi-discipline analysis of the motor.
Hence, integrating Simcenter 3D and Simcenter E-Machine Design, released in 2024, provides an enterprise solution that quickly searches for an optimum axial-flux design. The selected design is then automatically imported into Simcenter 3D, bringing the EMAG geometry and analysis into a multi-discipline validation analysis that includes NVH, Structural, and CFD-thermal. The import includes the automatic generation of the EMAG geometry and mesh.
The air core axial-flux machine
To further support axial-flux machines, the 2412 release of Simcenter E-Machine Design, now supports a new stator air core template for axial-machines in addition to those of the radial-flux topologies. These are important in ultra-precise position servo control and near-silent running applications. Air core stators eliminate the no-load cogging torque ripple.
Accurate system-level e-motor thermal representation
Accurate system-level thermal representation of the e-motor affects the sizing of the cooling circuit and battery capacity. Therefore oversimplifying the motor’s thermal model will result in costly powertrains. A solution has long been desired for this problem. That is an accurate, fast, and easier-to-extract thermal representation of the e-motor in the form of a lumped-parameter thermal network (LPTN). However, analysts must work for weeks to create an LPTN, which may not even adapt to changes in rotor topology. For example switching from an interior PMSM to a spoke-type, or PM assisted rotor topology.
The new release of Simcenter E-Machine Design 2412, and Simcenter AMESIM addresses this challenge. The Simcenter E-Machine Design radial-flux synchronous machine (BLDCs, PMSMs, etc) thermal models, are automatically converted into LPTN in Simcenter AMESIM. The created LPTN model is customizable at the AMESIM system level while supporting multiple operating points.
Summary
This 2412 release of Simcenter E-Machine Design accelerates the development of axial-flux machines. It allows you to quickly search for a design, that is then automatically imported into Simcenter 3D. This fast tracks the consideration of EMAG in a multi-discipline NVH, Structural, and CFD-thermal validation analysis of axial-flux machine design parameters. In addition, for radial-flux synchronous machines (BLDCs, PMSMs, etc), together with Simcenter AMESIM, barriers to accurate and fast e-motor LPTN thermal models have been addressed.
Simcenter Mechanical 2412
Simcenter E-Machine Design is released as part of the Simcenter Mechanical Solutions 2412 release. To see the highlights of this release click on the button below
