4.1. Magnetic Analysis of A Solenoid Actuator: 4.1.1. Problem Specification
4.1. Magnetic Analysis of A Solenoid Actuator: 4.1.1. Problem Specification
4.1. Magnetic Analysis of A Solenoid Actuator: 4.1.1. Problem Specification
Level of Difficulty:
easy
60 to 75 minutes
Discipline:
electromagnetics
Analysis Type:
linear static
PLANE13
4.1.2.1. Given
The dimensions of the solenoid actuator are in centimeters. The armature is the moving component of the actuator. The back-iron is the
stationary iron component of the actuator that completes the magnetic circuit around the coil. The stranded, wound coil of 650 windings with
1 amp/turn supplies the predefined current. The current per winding is 1 amp. The air-gap is the thin rectangular region of air between the
armature and the pole faces of the back-iron.
enforced by the "flux parallel" boundary condition placed around the model. This boundary condition is used for models in which the flux is
contained in an iron circuit.
Forces for the virtual work calculation are stored in an element table and then summed. The force is also calculated by the Maxwell Stress
Tensor method and the two values are found to be relatively close.
Input Geometry
1. Read in geometry input file.
Define Materials
2. Set preferences.
3. Specify material properties.
Generate Mesh
4. Define element type and options.
5. Assign material property attributes.
6. Specify meshing-size controls on air gap.
7. Mesh the model using the MeshTool.
8. Scale model to meters for solution.
Apply Loads
9. Define the armature as a component.
10. Apply force boundary conditions to armature.
11. Apply the current density.
12. Obtain a flux parallel field solution.
Obtain Solution
13. Solve.
Review Results
14. Plot the flux lines in the model.
15. Summarize magnetic forces.
16. Plot the flux density as vectors.
17. Plot the magnitude of the flux density.
18. Exit the ANSYS program.
17. [OK]
18. (double-click) Material Model Number 4, then Permeability (Constant)
19. MURX = 2000
20. [OK]
21. Material> Exit
22. Utility Menu> List> Properties> All Materials
23. Review the list of materials, then:
File> Close (Windows),
or
Close (Linux) to close the window.
4. [OK]
5. (drop down) Material number = 1
6. [Apply]
7. Pick the five back-iron areas, A7, A8, A9, A11, A12.
8. [OK]
9. (drop down) Material number = 2
10. [Apply]
11. Pick coil area, A4.
12. [OK]
13. (drop down) Material number = 3
14. [Apply}
15. Pick armature area, A10, A15, A16.
16. [OK]
17. (drop down) Material number = 4
18. [OK]
19. Toolbar: SAVE_DB
3. [OK]
4. No. of element divisions = 2
5. [OK]
Note: Your mesh may vary slightly from the mesh shown here. As a result, you may see slightly different results during postprocessing. For a
discussion of results accuracy, see Planning Your Approach in the Modeling and Meshing Guide.
2. Main Menu> Preprocessor> Loads> Define Loads> Apply> Magnetic> Excitation> Curr Density> On Areas
3. Pick the coil area, which is the area in the center.
4. [OK]
5. Curr density value = 325/.01**2
6. [OK]
Close any warning messages that appear.
4. [OK]
5. Toolbar: SAVE_DB
Your results may vary slightly from what is shown here due to variations in the mesh.
Next, you will see how the flux density is distributed throughout the entire actuator. Up to this point, the analysis and all associated
plots have used the 2-D axisymmetric model, with the axis of symmetry aligned with the left vertical portion of the device. ANSYS will
continue the analysis on the 2-D finite element model, but will allow you to produce a three-quarter expanded plot representation of the
flux density throughout the device, based on the defined axisymmetry. This function is purely graphical. No changes to the database will
be made when you produce this expanded plot.
4. Utility Menu> PlotCtrls> Style> Symmetry Expansion> 2D Axi-Symmetric
5. (check) 3/4 expansion
6. [OK]
Obtain an isometric view for a more meaningful representation.
7. Utility Menu> PlotCtrls> Pan,Zoom,Rotate
8. [Iso]
9. [Close]