Paper Title
Prediction of Open Circuit Characteristics of Brushless Alternators by Finite Element Method
Abstract
Performance prediction in brushless alternators is conventionally carried out using traditional methods which
combine analytical and empirical knowledge. These methods lack accuracy due to complex geometry and non-linear
characteristics of magnetic materials associated with the machine. Hence, numerical field computation methods like finite
difference method (FDM), boundary element method (BEM) and finite element method (FEM) have been employed for
prediction and analysis of machine characteristics by electro-magnetic field analysis. Out of these techniques, FEM is
increasingly used by designers due to its ability to handle complex geometry and presence of non-linear magnetic materials.
This paper presents a method for prediction of open circuit characteristics (OCC) of brushless alternators based on FEM. A
2D FE model of a 45 kVA, 415 V, 3-phase, 4-pole salient pole brushless alternator is developed and the open circuit
characteristic (OCC) is predicted and validated by experiment on the prototype machine.
Keywords - Brushless Alternator, Finite Element Method, OCC, Prototyping, Maxwell’s Equations.