2-D Versus 3-D Electromagnetic Field Modeling in Electromechanical Energy Converters

This paper provides comparative analysis between 2-D and 3-D numerical modeling of electromechanical devices by considering typical errors arising when 2-D models are assumed to model 3-D fields. It is argued that modeling simplifications need to be applied with great care as associated errors are not always predictable. In hierarchical design, both types of models are desirable hence balancing accuracy and computational effort is an increasingly important issue. Three examples are provided to illustrate the comparisons. The first shows a system with magnets for which magnetic field can be calculated analytically. The second concerns torque calculations in a permanent magnet motor. Finally, the third looks at a coil above a conducting plate with induced eddy currents. It is argued that by careful modification of selected parameters the 2-D results could be improved to make them consistent with 3-D models.