No abstract

An efficient finite element method to take account of the nonlinearity of the magnetic materials when analyzing three-dimensional eddy current problems is presented in this paper. The problem is formulated in terms of vector and scalar potentials approximated by edge and node based finite element basis functions. The application of Galerkin techniques leads to a large, nonlinear system of ordinary differential equations in the time domain.The excitations are assumed to be time-periodic and the steady-state periodic solution is of interest only. This is represented either in the frequency domain as a finite Fourier series or in the time domain as a set of discrete time values within one period for each finite element degree of freedom. The former approach is the (continuous) harmonic balance method and, in the latter one, discrete Fourier transformation will be shown to lead to a discrete harmonic balance method. Due to the nonlinearity, all harmonics, both continuous and discrete, are coupled to each other.The harmonics would be decoupled if the problem were linear, therefore, a special nonlinear iteration technique, the fixed-point method is used to linearize the equations by selecting a time-independent permeability distribution, the so-called fixed-point permeability in each nonlinear iteration step. This leads to uncoupled harmonics within these steps.As industrial applications, analyses of large power transformers are presented. The first example is the computation of the electromagnetic field of a single-phase transformer in the time domain with the results compared to those obtained by traditional time-stepping techniques. In the second application, an advanced model of the same transformer is analyzed in the frequency domain by the harmonic balance method with the effect of the presence of higher harmonics on the losses investigated. Finally a third example tackles the case of direct current (DC) bias in the coils of a single-phase transformer.

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to present a method for efficiently obtaining the steady‐state solution of the quasi‐static Maxwell's equations in case of nonlinear material properties and periodic excitations.Design/methodology/approachThe fixed‐point method is used to take account of the nonlinearity of the material properties. The harmonic balance principle and a time periodic technique give the periodic solution in all nonlinear iterations. Owing to the application of the fixed‐point technique the harmonics are decoupled. The optimal parameter of the fixed‐point method is determined to accelerate its convergence speed. It is shown how this algorithm works with iterative linear equation solvers.FindingsThe optimal parameter of the fixed‐point method is determined and it is also shown how this method works if the equation systems are solved iteratively.Originality/valueThe convergence criterion of the iterative linear equation solver is determined. The method is used to solve three‐dimensional problems.

No abstract

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to show the application of the fixed‐point method with the T, Φ‐Φ formulation to get the steady‐state solution of the quasi‐static Maxwell's equations with non‐linear material properties and periodic excitations.Design/methodology/approachThe fixed‐point method is used to solve the problem arising from the non‐linear material properties. The harmonic balance principle and a time periodic technique give the periodic solution in all non‐linear iterations. The optimal parameter of the fixed‐point method is investigated to accelerate its convergence speed.FindingsThe Galerkin equations of the DC part are found to be different from those of the higher harmonics. The optimal parameter of the fixed‐point method is determined.Originality/valueThe establishment of the Galerkin equations of the DC part is a new result. The method is first used to solve three‐dimensional problems with the T, Φ‐Φ formulation.