A full structural mechanical description of beam elements for rotors in electrical machines. Issue 5 (7th September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Poganski, Joshua; Mair, Mathias; Ellermann, Katrin
• Editors: Oszkár Bíró, Professor David A. Lowther and Dr Piergiorgio Alotto, Professor
• Is Part Of: Compel. Volume 34:Issue 5(2015)
• Page Start: 1404
• Page End: 1417
• Publication Date: 2015-09-07
• Subjects: Finite element method -- Rotor in electrical machines -- Shape functions -- Timoshenko beam element; Electrical engineering -- Data Processing -- Periodicals; Electrical engineering -- Mathematics -- Periodicals; Electrical engineering -- Periodicals; Electronics -- Data Processing -- Periodicals; Electronics -- Mathematics -- Periodicals; 621.3
• DOI: 10.1108/COMPEL-02-2015-0058
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0332-1649

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: – The purpose of this paper is to get a more consistent finite element description for three-dimensional (3D) Timoshenko beam elements. It extends the common description of beam elements by modifying the shape functions and considers the warping of the cross-section due to torsion. Design/methodology/approach: – The paper builds mainly on a finite element description of 3D Timoshenko beam elements. The implementation of high-order shape functions for torsion is done by adding a seventh degree of freedom to the system. Findings: – The results reveal that for some beams, depending on their physical dimensions, the warping of the cross-section has large influence. In comparison to a conventional FE program, the extended finite element description considers the warping and yields more accurate results. Practical implications: – An application of the extended finite element description is done with an implementation of the code in MATLAB. The static and dynamic behavior of a rotor in an electrical machine is investigated. Originality/value: – This paper presents a more consistent finite element description of 3D Timoshenko beam elements considering the warping. A comparison to conventional finite element descriptions is given.