This paper will cover the electromagnetic and thermal simulation of a large PMSM. First the electromagnetic simulation will verify the simulated electromagnetic properties match the measured electromagnetic properties. Metrics such as torque and back EMF will determine the accuracy of the simulation. Next JMAG’s iron loss tool and thermal modeling package will then simulate losses and thermal behavior. These results are compared to the measured losses and thermal properties of the motor.
The loss modeling forms a visual representation of the temperature distribution within the motor. This will go beyond what the thermocouples can measure and actually show how the heat is forming and dissipating. The information will aid in the determination of hot spots within the motor, which will lead to design modifications for the next motor design.
This paper will discuss simplifications to the modeling and how they affect the results. Even with simplifications the final results will be indicative of how the motor performs. It will also provide a method to test hypothesizes on the design without building a working prototype. This will allow numerous design iterations in a relatively short time for considerably less cost. The end result is the next generation of this motor will utilize results from both physical testing and simulation to create a design that draws on theoretical and physical results.
Unfortunately due to time constraints the SMC motor comparison can not be included in this paper since the testing has not been completed.