Special Research Area (SFB) F90 Computational Electric Machine Laboratory: Thermal Modelling, Transient Analysis, Geometry Handling and Robust Design

Electrical machines have played a central role in energy conversion for decades; not only as generators to produce electrical energy, but also as motors, for example for electric vehicles. Modern power electronics brought numerous new operating and application possibilities for such motors, and together with new materials and manufacturing techniques, as well as through advances in design optimisation and control technology, they hold enormous potential for achieving climate targets. Current design methods for electrical machines are based on only a few parameters and operating modes, typically at constant speed or constant torque. Optimisation potential thus falls by the wayside. The SFB wants to make use of this potential and achieve a paradigm shift with the research work, towards new integrated simulation and design approaches. The new approaches take into account all important aspects of an electrical machine from the outset, such as shape and topology, time-dependent operating cycles, complex material behaviour, parameter uncertainties, robustness and noise development, as well as new cooling techniques for pushing thermal limits.