Modeling and Sizing of a Synchronous Actuator

To reduce our CO2 emissions, key transport industries (automotive, aeronautics, etc.) are seeking to develop innovative travel solutions. Most of these solutions are electric, and these electric motors are mainly made from synchronous motors.

This Teaching Unit will:

• To provide students with the scientific and technological knowledge to model and size a synchronous actuator for specific applications related to the fields of electric propulsion.
• To provide the theoretical knowledge necessary to understand the physical phenomena intrinsic to the operation of synchronous motors (electromagnetic, electrical, thermal, mechanical).
• Define and study the different topologies, organizations of synchronous actuators (windings, rotors, etc.).
• Develop modeling methods to understand the control of a synchronous motor.
• Will present a method for sizing a synchronous actuator with magnets. It will associate this method with finite element software to verify this dimensioning.
• To provide knowledge in order to see the impact of such an actuator in the energy transition and on the environment.

Finally, the practical part will implement the measurement methods and techniques necessary for the study, the modeling of electromagnetic components and the control of synchronous motors. Application work where the measurements made are then exploited with scientific software (Excel, Matlab, femm...) will be used to apply the course. This theme may be proposed as a Master 2 project.

The aim of this teaching unit is to enable students to use the hours of lectures and practical work to meet a specification for the study, sizing and design of a synchronous motor and its control system. This teaching unit should enable students to join a design office or research laboratory for the study and design of actuators.

The student should be able to define the different topologies and components of a synchronous actuator, and study and model phenomena related to the materials used in the machines (magnets, ferromagnetic materials, etc.) and related phenomena (iron losses, joule losses, etc.).

Students should be familiar with control architectures and methods for characterizing actuators with a view to modeling them. Finally, they should be able to use simulation software used in the design of machines and their controls, and to apply the proposed models.

First-year Master's degree or 5-year higher education in science and technology, with courses on the basic principles of electrical machine operation and the theoretical foundations of electromagnetism and magnetostatics.

Basic knowledge of power electronics and electrical energy converters for actuator control.

Know how to solve a magnetostatic problem mathematically.

Recommended prerequisites* :

Completion of UE HAE706E Energy Conversion Systems in Master 1 EEA

Completion of UE HAE805E Energy Production and Network Modeling in Master 1 EEA Electrical Energy, Environment and System Reliability course.

Continuous assessment for the course and practical work.

Percentage of 70% for the course and 30% for the practical part

1. Introduction: actuators in the energy transition. Electric propulsion, aeronautical applications. Carbon footprint and eco-design. Actuator reliability.
2. Reminder of electromagnetism: basic laws of physics, study of magnetic circuits, induction, calculation of m.m.f., magnetic energy, virtual work
3. Magnetic materials: properties, characteristics, uses. Magnet modeling, hysteresis cycle modeling. Calculation of iron and Joule losses in electric actuators.
4. Definition of windings in electrical machines. Calculation of winding characteristics.
5. Inductances in electric actuators.
6. General and in-depth principles of magnetic field coupling within an electric machine (virtual work, power balance, Maxwell tensor, etc.). Intrinsic operating limits of electric machines. Design and sizing of synchronous magnet actuators.
7. Modeling a synchronous actuator. Electric motor and definition. Actuator characterization and testing. Finite element simulation of an actuator.
8. Principle of synchronous motor control. Actuator operating cycle. DC brushless control principle. AC Brushless control principle. Control architecture in normal and degraded modes.

CM: 18h

Practical work: 24h