Maxwell v15 2.

2
Eddy Current Analysis

Eddy Current Analysis

Eddy Current Analysis is performed by choosing the Eddy Current solution type.

Applications that use Eddy Current Analysis can be solenoids, inductors, motors,
stray field calculations and many others.

Overview
The eddy current solver computes steady-state, time-varying (AC) magnetic
fields at a given frequency – this is a frequency domain solution.
All objects are stationary.
The source of the static magnetic field can be:
Sinusoidal AC current (peak) in conductors.
Time-varying external magnetic fields represented by external boundary
conditions.
The quantities solved are the magnetic field (H) and the magnetic scalar potential
(Ω).
Current density (J) and magnetic flux density (B) are automatically calculated
from the magnetic field (H).
Derived quantities such as forces, torques, energy, and inductances may be
calculated from these basic field quantities.
Material permeabilities and conductivities can be anisotropic, but must be linear.

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Setup
The options in the project tree for a eddy current simulation control all the
simulation setup parameters.
Notice that right-clicking on any of the options will open a menu with
important options for each step of the simulation setup.

1. The Model definition refers to the geometry and material definition.

2. Boundaries and Excitations refer to the specific boundaries and excitations
available in a eddy current simulation.
3. Parameters are values that the solver will automatically calculate after
finding the field solution.
4. Mesh Operations are discussed in a separate section.
5. Analysis defines the solution setup.
6. Optimetrics defines any automatic variational analyses.
7. Results and Field overlays are discussed in a separate section.

These options are displayed in an order that can be followed in creating a new
Eddy Current simulation. This is a general purpose order that goes linearly
through simulation setup, analysis, and post-processing.

However, in some cases it is acceptable to work out of the defined order. This is
particularly true when defining results, field overlays, or calculated quantities. It
is important to think of results when defining the problem setup so that the
desired quantities may be obtained in a sufficient manner. Notice, however, that
the field calculator is not available until a solution setup is defined.

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Eddy Current Material Definition

In an Eddy Current simulation, the following parameters may be defined for a
material:
Relative Permittivity (can be Anisotropic or Simple)
Relative Permittivity effects the solution when displacement currents
are considered in an object.
Relative Permeability (can be Anisotropic or Simple)
Relative Permeability along with the Bulk Conductivity determine the
time-varying magnetic properties of the material.
Bulk Conductivity (can be Anisotropic or Simple)
Bulk Conductivity is used both in determining the current distribution
in current carrying conductors and in calculating eddy currents and
the resulting magnetic field solution.
Dielectric Loss Tangent (can be Anisotropic or Simple)
Dielectric Loss Tangent controls the ratio of imaginary and real
permittivities.
Magnetic Loss Tangent (can be Anisotropic or Simple)
Magnetic Loss Tangent controls the ratio of imaginary and real
permeabilities.

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Eddy Current Boundary Conditions

Default – The default boundary conditions for the Eddy Current solver are:
Natural boundaries on the interface between objects.
- This means that the H Field is continuous across the boundary.
Neumann boundaries on the outer boundaries.
- This means that the H Field is tangential to the boundary and flux cannot
cross it.

Zero Tangential H Field – This boundary (similar to the Magnetostatic version) is

often used to model an applied uniform, external field. This would model outer
boundaries of the Region that are perpendicular to the applied field. In this case,
the boundary should be placed far from the structure so that the simulation is not
over-defined. This is equivalent to the even symmetry boundary definition.

Tangential H Field – This boundary (similar to the Magnetostatic version) is used

primarily to model an applied uniform, external field. This would model outer
boundaries of the Region that have a defined tangential magnetic field. This
boundary should always be placed far from the structure so that the simulation is
not over-defined. Faces must be planar and must be defined one at a time, due
to the U-V field definition on each face.
To apply a uniform field along any orthogonal axis of a bounding box, first,
apply a Zero Tangential H Field on the top and bottom faces (with respect
to the direction of the axis) of the box. Then apply a Tangential H Field to
each side face – define each U vector to be parallel to the selected axis (the
V vector does not matter because no field will exist in that direction), and
assign the real and imaginary values of U with constant values. The field
will be in the direction of the selected axis (perpendicular to the top and
bottom faces), and will have a constant value away from the defined
objects in the simulation.
Note that it is very easy to create impossible field assignments with these
boundary conditions. If your simulation does not converge when using
these boundaries, try the boundary conditions without any objects included
to see if the boundaries are assigned correctly (the simulation will have
difficulties converging if boundaries are incorrect).

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Eddy Current Boundary Conditions (Continued)

Insulating – This boundary defines a thin, perfectly insulating sheet between
touching conductors. This is particularly useful to separate coils from magnetic
steel (defined on surfaces between the two objects), but there are many other
applications.

Symmetry – There are two magnetic symmetries – odd symmetry (flux tangential)
and even symmetry (flux normal). Odd symmetry defines H to be tangential to
the boundary (this is equivalent to the default boundary condition on the outer
boundary). Even symmetry defines H to be normal to the boundary (this is
equivalent to the Zero Tangential H Field boundary condition). Remember that
geometric symmetry may not mean magnetic symmetry in all cases. Symmetry
boundaries enable you to model only part of a structure, which reduces the size
or complexity of your design, thereby shortening the solution time. Other
considerations for a Symmetry boundary condition are the same as for a
Magnetostatic symmetry boundary.

Master/Slave – This boundary condition is also known as a matching boundary

condition because it matches the magnetic field at the slave boundary to the field
at the master boundary. The geometry must be identical on each face (the mesh
needs to be identical, but the solver takes care of this requirement for matched
geometries) and the faces need to be planar. It is required to define a U-V
coordinate system along each face to properly map the matched boundary as
desired. Master and Slave boundaries enable you to model only one period of a
periodic structure, which will reduce the size of a design. Example applications
are periodic rotational machines or infinite arrays.

Radiation – This boundary condition is specific to the Eddy Current solver. See
the discussion of the Radiation boundary in the Radiation Boundary example.

Impedance – This boundary can model induced currents within excluded objects
without explicitly solving within the objects. This can decrease simulation time
because the difficult to mesh areas near the surface of objects can be ignored
and approximated with this boundary. By excluding the object (accomplished by
deselecting Solve Inside in the object properties), there will be no solution inside
the object. This approximation is good for good conductors (where the skin depth
is less than half the width of the excluded conductor).

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Eddy Current Excitations

Typical sources for eddy current problems include current and current density. In
applying the sources for the magnetic field problems, keep in mind that the
applied current distribution must be divergence free in the entire space of the
solution as it is physical for (quasi) stationary conduction current density
distributions. Thus, the conduction paths(s) for the applied current distributions
must be closed when totally contained within the solution space for the problem
or must begin and end at the boundaries. The total current applied to conductors
that touch the boundaries doesn't require the existence of terminals at the ends
where the current is applied, the respective planar surfaces of the conductors in
the plane of the region (background) can be used to apply the excitations.

Current Excitations - This excitation can be assigned on any conductor to define

the total peak current (amp-turns) through the cross-section of a loop or to define
the current into and out of the opposing, external faces of a conducting object.
This is a very general purpose excitation that comes in two flavors – Solid or
Stranded. More information about Stranded Current excitations (along with a
Magnetostatic example and explanation) can be found in the Magnetostatic
Switched Reluctance Motor example. The only difference between the use of
stranded and solid conductors between the magnetostatic solver and the eddy
current solver, is that in the eddy current solver eddy effects are not considered in
stranded conductors, but not in solid conductors.

Current Density - These excitations are used to define a known current density
throughout an object and must be used with a Current Density Terminal. The
peak Current Density (magnitude and phase) is defined on the 3D object, and the
Terminal is defined on either an internal cross-sectional sheet, or on all external
cross-sectional faces.

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Parameters
There are three parameters that can be automatically calculated in an Eddy
Current simulation – Force, Torque, and Inductance Matrix.

All three quantities are computed directly from the magnetic field solution.

Force and torque can be calculated with two different methods - Virtual or Lorentz
(Lorentz cannot be used on magnetic materials).

The results of any parameters can be found by selecting Maxwell 3D > Results >
Solution Data… or by clicking on the icon.

Further results can be obtained manually through the field calculator.

Mesh Operations
Mesh operations are described in detail in the Mesh operations section.

Remember that the Eddy Current solver has an adaptive mesh solution, so
excessive mesh operations are not always required. It can often be worse to
over-define the mesh than to not define mesh operations at all (it will take longer
to solve, and it will be more difficult to adapt correctly).

However, it is very important to mesh properly to account for currents with small
skin depths – this is important on solid conducting objects.

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Solution Setup
The solution setup defines the parameters used for solving the simulation.
Add a solution setup by selecting Maxwell 3D > Analysis Setup > Add Solution
Setup… or click on the icon.

The following window appears with the General Setup parameters.

You can Name the setup, and you can create multiple setups if you desire (by
repeating this procedure).
Maximum Number of Passes defines a limit to the number of adaptively refined
passes that the solver performs (the default value is 10).
Percent Error is the error goal for both the Error Energy and Delta Energy.
Solve Fields Only ignores any defined parameters if checked.
Solve Matrix has the options of calculating the matrix after the last solved pass or
calculating the matrix only if the solution converges.

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Solution Setup (Continued)

The second tab of the Solution Setup contains information about Convergence.

Refinement Per Pass defines the number of tetrahedral elements added during
mesh refinement as a percentage of the previous pass (30% is the default).
Minimum Number of Passes defines the minimum number of adaptive passes
before the solution stops - if there is a conflict, this value is over-ridden by
Maximum Number of Passes (the default value is 2).
Minimum Converged Passes defines the minimum number of adaptive passes
that have been converged (with respect to the Percent error) before the solution
stops (the default value is 1).

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Solution Setup (Continued)

The third tab of the Solution Setup contains information about the Solver.

Adaptive Frequency defines the frequency at which the mesh is constructed and
adapted, and at which solution is obtained (the default value is 60 Hz).
Enable Iterative Solve to enable ICCG solvers (Direct is the default).
Use higher order shape functions to enable the higher order option gains better
accuracy for eddy current regions.
Import Mesh allows the initial mesh to be imported from another solution – the
linked solution must have the exact same geometry as the current simulation.
Setup Link must be defined when selecting Import Mesh.

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Solution Setup (Continued)

The fourth tab of the Solution Setup contains information about an optional
Frequency Sweep.

Define the sweep (Type, Start, Stop, Step) in the left panel.
Check Save Fields (All Frequencies) to save the fields for all frequencies in this
sweep definition.
Select Add to List >> to place this sweep definition in the Sweep List (the Sweep
List is displayed in the right panel).
Edit any entries in the Sweep List to adjust solution frequencies or whether to
save fields at specific frequencies in the list.

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Eddy Current Solution Process

Unlike pre-processing, the solution process is very automated. Once the
problem has been defined properly, Maxwell will take over and step through
several stages of the solution process. To start the solution process, right-click
on Analysis in the Maxwell Project Tree and select Analyze.

Initial Setup

Adaptive Solution

Solution Convergence ?

Refine Mesh

Converged or Number of Passes

Stop Field Solution

Calculate Parameters

Frequency Sweep ?

Next Frequency

Done

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