PIERS Proceedings, Cambridge, USA, July 58, 2010

28

Electromagnetic Field Analysis in Permanent Magnet Retarder

Based on Finite Element Method
L. Z. Ye, D. S. Li, B. F. Jiao, and Y. Z. Wang
School of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Electronics Technology
Beijing University of Technology, China

Abstract Eddy current retarder for vehicle generates a large number of heats when it works
continuously, and it leads to serious decline in braking torque. This paper proposes a novel
permanent magnet retarder (PMR) for vehicle, whose cooling system is connecting with engine
cooling-water. A 3-dimensional finite element model is developed to model the electromagnetic
behavior of permanent magnet retarder under constant speed operation. Magnetic field and
eddy current field in PMR are numerically solved by finite element method. By accounting for
non-linear permeability of rotor and weaken effect in magnetic field generated by eddy current
magnetic field, the calculation accuracy of air-gap magnetic field is enhanced. Experiment shows
that temperature of retarder is below 150 C, and the braking torque keep hard characteristic
curve. The calculated air-gap magnetic flux density is fairly good agreement with measured one.
1. INTRODUCTION

As the rapid development of modern automotive technology, the safety of vehicle driving is more
urgent requirements than the vehicle dynamics and comfort. Auxiliary braking device for vehicle
can consume parts of motion energy before main brake system works, and improve the safety
performance of vehicles effectively. At present, auxiliary braking device includes eddy current
retarder, hydraulic retarder and permanent magnet retarder and so on [14]. Permanent Magnet
Retarder (PMR) is a new type of auxiliary braking device in recent years, and has more advantages
than other devices, such as energy-saving and environmental protection.
At 1990s, Japanese successfully developed a new type of auxiliary braking device (PMR) which
produce magnetic source using NdFeB permanent magnet. PMR is a revolutionary technology
which has light weight, simple structure and easy-install. Domestic and foreign scholars have indepth studied from the structure to the theory, but these PMR structures have the disadvantages of
small braking torque and high price. Traditional PMR is made by the stator, rotor and permanent
magnet. Its structure is shown in Figure 1. The rotor cuts the stator magnetic field lines generated
by permanent magnet, so the rotor produces eddy current. The interaction between eddy current
and the stator magnetic field prevents the rotor from rotation. A large number of heat generated
eddy current within the rotor. The heat spread into the atmosphere by forced convection aircooling. The same to eddy current retarder, PMR braking torque will occur hot recession at 5
minute. Braking torque will be decreased by 50% or more in severe, and thus PMR has not been
a large-scale promotion [57].
In order to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings of the traditional PMR, water-cooling
PMR is designed which has a good cooling effect. The paper designs a kind of water-cooling PMR
(Figure 2). Its rotor is permanent magnet, and water-cooling heat conduction replaces air-cooling
forced convection. The heats disperse through the engine cooling system generated by braking.
Since the engine is idle state when retarder works generally, heat load of the system will not be
greatly aggravated.
2. MATHEMATICAL MODEL
2.1. Electromagnetic Equations

When water-cooling PMR works, the magnetic line generated by permanent magnet will form loop
in the rotor, air gap and stator. The stator cuts magnetic line, and generated eddy currents in
the stator radial surface. The interaction between eddy currents magnetic field and permanent
magnetic field bring braking to the rotor.
On the cylindrical coordinates (r, z) plane, retarder model is cyclical symmetry around the
Z-axis and is rotation angle. The two-dimensional geometric shapes of PMR /360 is shown in
Figure 1. Rotor inner diameter is R1 and its thickness h1 . Permanent magnet external diameter is
R2 , and its width is w. The gap of permanent magnet and stator is g. The stator thickness is h2 .

Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium Proceedings, Cambridge, USA, July 58, 2010

29

Because of the eddy current in the stator, complex magnetic vector potential and using standardized methods is introduced, and electromagnetic field equation is:
v A + jA Js = 0

(1)

where v and , respectively is retarder stator reluctance rate and electrical conductivity, Js is
current density. There is no eddy current in the permanent magnet, so the equation as follows:
rot(v0 rotA) = v0 rotM

(2)

where M is magnetization vector, and v0 is the vacuum magneto-resistance ratio. Using quasithree-dimensional method, A and Js expressed as:
A = [Ar (r, z)ir + jA (r, z)i + Az (r, z)iz ] ejp
Js = [Jr (r, z)ir + jJ (r, z)i + Jz (r, z)iz ] e

(3)

jp

(4)

where, p is the number of permanent magnet. Combination of the above Equations (1)(4), the
magnetic flux density vector in the rotor as follows:

p
A
Ar
Az
1 (rA
p
B= j
Az
ir +

i + j
Ar iz ejp
(5)
r
z
z
r
r r
r
The equation gets the rotor electromagnetic field distribution of PMR.
2.2. Braking Torque

Braking torque is the interaction result of eddy currents and magnetic field inside the stator. Its
intensity depends on stator resistance ratio and eddy current density. When electromagnetic field
is solved in PMR, the eddy current losses per unit volume in stator are as follows:
P = J 2

(6)

where, is the rotor resistance, then the consumed power is:

e0 Z
X
P =
J 2 d
e=1

(7)

N
N

S
N

Figure 1: The structure of air-cooling PMR.

Figure 2: The structure of water-cooling PMR.

R1

S N

R2
E
Z

h1

h2

Figure 3: Permanent magnet retarder analysis model.

PIERS Proceedings, Cambridge, USA, July 58, 2010

30

where, Pr is the stator power consumption, e0 is split nodes, is the solution region. So PMR
braking torque is:
P
T =
(8)

2.3. Numerical Simulation

To reduce the model size and effectively save computing resources, it is established PMR 1/32 model
according to periodic boundary and face conditions of symmetry. Stator and rotor material are
20CrMo and permanent magnet is NdFeB N38SH. Detailed size parameters are shown in Table 1.
Table 1: PMR size parameters.
project
Rotation degree / deg
Rotor radius R1 /mm
Rotor depth h1 /mm
Permanent magnet width w/mm

size
22.5
140
14
50

project
Permanent magnet depth d/mm
Permanent magnet length L/mm
Gap g/mm
Stator depth h2 /mm

size
15
75
1
14

JMAG-Studio is electromagnetic field analysis software, which developed by Japan Research

Institute (JRI). JMAG-Studio can solve electromagnetic field problem about a variety of electrical
and electromagnetic equipment. In this paper, numerical simulation solves eddy current magnetic
field using JMAG-Studio8.4 in PMR. Through modeling, material properties, boundary conditions
and solving, eddy current field distribution is derived by post-processing, as is shown in Figure 4.
Figure 5 is flux density distribution on stator at 1000 r/min. Compared with the static status, the
direction of magnetic flux density vector change, and there exist axial component in the inner surface
of the stator, Because of the interaction of magnetic field between eddy-current and permanent
magnet.
3. EXPERIMENTS
3.1. Experiments System and Devices

PMR test system is shown in Figure 6. The retarder imposed loads through the eddy current effects.
The torque signals from sensor and from LCD will be transmitted to PLC through RS232. PLC
control the stepper motor to change loads through the appropriate algorithm, which receives the
torque command and compares them. Permanent magnet retarder photos are shown in Figure 7.
The tube is used to deliver cooling water.

Figure 4: Stator eddy currents distribution at

3000 r/min (unit 108 A/m2 ).

Figure 5: Flux density distribution on stator (units

T).

3.2. Experiments Result

Experiment shows that temperature of retarder is below 150 C, and water-cooling PMR has a
good cooling effect. Digital Tesla meter measure the flux density of working air gap at PMR
stationary. The experiment parameters of Tesla meter are as follows: Measuring range: 0 2 T;
the highest resolution: 0.1 mT; Accuracy: (25 mT 1.5 T) within 1% (of reading) 0.1% (full
scale). Figure 8 is the calculated and measured flux density curves of the working air gap at PMR
stationary, and the error of calculated and measurement values is less than 5%. Figure 9 compares

Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium Proceedings, Cambridge, USA, July 58, 2010

Permanent
Magnet
Retarder

Torque
Sensor

31

Gearbox

RS232 serial
communication
pulse

Stepper
Motor

PLC

LCD

Figure 6: PMR test system.

Figure 7: Permanent magnet retarder photos.

0.7

600

0.6

500
400

0.4

Calculation
Measure

0.3
0.2

300

Water-cooling
Air-cooling

200
100

0.1
0.0

T/N.m

B/T

0.5

8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

a/deg

Figure 8: Flux densities in the air gap.

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

-1

n/r.min

Figure 9: Braking torque curve.

the air-cooling PMR braking torque curves with water-cooling, and water-cooling braking torque
keep hard characteristic curve.
4. CONCLUSION

The paper introduces a kind of water-cooling PMR, which overcomes the heat recession shortcomings of the traditional PMR. Using quasi-three-dimensional meth and introducing complex
magnetic vector potential A, it is analyzed that dynamic eddy current field in PMR. We can gain
some conclusion from the analysis and discussion:
(1) Retarder dynamic eddy current field is described using complex magnetic vector potential
method. Through impose boundary conditions and finite element mesh, magnetic and eddy current
field distribution are derived.
(2) The error of calculated and measurement flux density values at PMR working air gap stationary is less than 5%.
(3) The working temperature of water-cooling PMR is below 150 C, and the braking torque
keep hard characteristic curve.
REFERENCES

1. Ye, L., D. Li, Z. Y. Lu, and Q. Guo, Study on a novel permanent magnet retarder for vehicles,
PIERS Proceedings, 531535, Hangzhou, China, March 2428, 2008.
2. Hu, Q. X. and R. He, Working principle and usage of vehicle-used permanent-magnet type
retarder Design, Computation Research, Vol. 3, 2225, 2005.
3. Zhu, N. and Y. H. Wang, Light type permanent magnet retarder for vehicle, Bus Technology
and Research, Vol. 24, No. 4, 1920, 2002.
4. He, R., Auxiliary Braking Equipment for Vehicle, Chemical Industry Press, Beijing, 2005.
5. Wang, B. L., Electromagnetism and Electro-instrument Design Base, National Defense Industry Press, Beijing, 1989.
6. Takahashi, N., M. Natsumeda, and K. Muramatsu, Optimization of permanent magnet type
of retarder using 3D finite element method and direct search method, IEEE Transactions on
Magnetics, Vol. 34, No. 5, 29962999, 1998.

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PIERS Proceedings, Cambridge, USA, July 58, 2010

7. Bigeon, J. and J. C. Sabonnadiere, Finite element analysis of an electromagnetic brake,

IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, Vol. 19, No. 6, 26322634, 1983.