A comparative study of three optimization methods in FEM design of induction motors

The rise of the cost of electrical energy and concurrent development in the material technology, operating cost and some other performance related items, promoted the designers to improve the efficiency of the induction motors (IM). However, the nonlinear nature of IM does not allow the implementation of the conventional analytic methods, unless several approximations on the magnetic characteristics and also the geometry of the motor are applied. In this paper, three optimization methods, including random, direct search and indirect search methods, enhanced with finite element method (FEM) are applied on the design of slots shapes of a three-phase squirrel-cage IM. A typical 3 kW induction motor is used for this purpose and the simulation results are compared to the corresponding values extracted from the manufacturer