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the best ways in order to reduce fuel consumption for vehicles. It consists of associating an electric motor next to the classical thermal machine. In this embedded system, the efficiency and the torque per unit mass are very important. So it seems to be a good idea to use a permanent magnet synchronous machine, which is recognized for satisfying these two objectives. Since the allocated volume is rather flat, axial flux topologies are interesting. This paper’s goal is to propose an optimal first design method for such structures, given the allocated volume and the machine requirements. La traction hybride semble actuellement un des moyens les plus prometteurs pour réduire la consommation de carburant des véhicules. Ce procédé consiste à associer un moteur électrique au moteur thermique traditionnel. Pour une telle application embarquée, le rendement, ainsi que le couple massique, sont des critères de conception de première importance. Dans ce contexte, le recours à une machine synchrone à aimants permanents, reconnue pour satisfaire ces deux critères, semble être approprié. Vu que le volume alloué à la machine électrique est de forme discoïde, les topologies à flux axial semblent les plus intéressantes. L’objectif de cet article est de proposer une méthodologie de pré-dimensionnement de tels actionneurs, en ayant fixé au préalable le volume maximal permis ainsi que le cahier des charges de la machine.

Hybrid excited synchronous machines (HESMs) combine permanent-magnet (PM) excitation and wound field (WF) excitation. The goal of hybrid excitation is to combine the advantages of PM excited machines and WF synchronous machines. HESM have been identified as one of the emerging technologies for modern energy conversion systems. They have been the subject of many review articles. The principle of hybrid excitation allows solving many drawbacks related to PM electric machines operation: flux weakening, energy efficiency, and PMs price fluctuation. It helps to introduce an additional degree of freedom in the design of synchronous machines, and allows therefore an easier adaptation of PM synchronous machines to a wider applications scope. To this additional degree corresponds the possibility of adjusting the contribution of the two magnetic field sources: PM and WF. The use of this technology for electric traction has been the subject of many scientific and technical contributions. In this contribution, the emphasis will be put on the use of these machines as generators in transportation applications and renewable energy applications. The design and operation of three particular structures will be presented. Two of them have been designed as generators for transportation applications, and the third one has been designed as generator for renewable energy conversion. All of them are flux switching hybrid excited synchronous machines (FSHESM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to assess the efficacy of non-conformal meshing in mesh-based generated reluctance network modeling. A representative semi-numerical example is introduced to demonstrate the possibilities and accuracy offered by a non-conformal meshing. In a conformal mesh, two reluctance block elements share the same branch. This makes the computation faster and more accurate but is not convenient for motion processing or mesh relaxation and it does not solve the air-gap modeling problem (rotor/stator connectivity). To solve this, different approaches are used. The interpolation approach developed in this paper aims to render motion processing independent of discretization. This approach is also applied to couple different meshes (spatial discretization) and makes it possible to connect a lumped parameter model to a meshed one. The model is divided into independent zones that are connected via the interpolation coupling. Several reluctance network (RN) non-conformal meshes are presented and global quantities are compared to a fine-meshed finite-element model. Magnetic saturation is considered in the iron parts. Comparisons are provided under open-circuit and on-load configurations for flux linkage and force. The main advantage is to overcome the limitations of generic RN for which the movement modeling requires remeshing at each position. The drawbacks of the method are the increased number of variables (additional interface nodes) and a certain loss of accuracy due to the interpolation function order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This aim of this paper is to assess the efficacy of mesh-based generated reluctance network (MGRN) modeling for the performance evaluation of a permanent magnet linear machine under load conditions. In the previous publications related to the use of this modeling technique, only approach implementation under an open-circuit performance has been assessed. The MGRN approach is based on the discretization of the geometry using elementary reluctance blocks (reluctance elements). This modeling technique has been implemented in a software tool that allows the automated processing of an arbitrary geometry providing a gain in model development durations. Validation of the MGRN model has been realized by comparison with a finite element analysis (FEA). Comparisons showed that both local and global quantities evaluated by MGRN and FEA are in excellent agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes an analytical model for computing the rotor eddy-current losses in the case of permanent magnet synchronous machines, based on a formal resolution of Maxwell’s equations. We focus on the computation of the eddy currents in the machine magnets, in which the diffusion equation is analytically solved, using an accurate electromagnetic model of the stator slotting. The model originality lies in its capacity of taking into account both the diffusion phenomenon and the magnet’s finite length over the pole pitch, imposing that the total current over the magnet’s surface should be zero at each instant. This important problem is studied by solving a Fredholm integral equation. A validation using a 2-D time-stepping finite-element model is also performed, and the obtained losses are shown to be in good agreement with those given by the analytical method, for a shorter computation time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a 3-D analytical model of an axial flux permanent-magnet synchronous machine, based on formal resolution of Maxwell equations. This method requires much less computation time than conventional 3-D finite elements, and is therefore suitable for optimization purposes. In a first part, the mathematical procedure used to compute the machine no-load flux is described in detail. This method is 3-D, and then takes into account the radial edge effects of the machine, as well as the curvature effects by a resolution in cylindrical coordinates. Moreover, the originality of this method lies in the fact that it is totally analytical. The obtained results are verified using 3-D finite elements, and compared with simpler analytical models of axial flux machines, taken from the literature. This work puts in evidence the advantages of the proposed model. In particular, it is shown that the radial edge effects are important for a correct estimation of the no-load flux. On the contrary, the curvature effects are a second-order phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents 3-D finite-element analysis of a new double excitation synchronous machine. It is shown that the machine has true field regulation capability. The principle of operation and design aspects of this new machine are presented in the paper. Comparison of 3-D FEA with an experimental study done on a prototype having a different rotor structure is also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]