IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS, VOL. 24, NO.
I, JANUARY 1988
NUMERICAL COMPUTATION OF TORQUES IN PERMANENT MAGNET MOTORS
BY MAXWELL STRESSES AND ENERGY METHOD
M. Marinescu and N.Marinescu
Ing. -BOro fOr Magnet�echnik. Mail�nder Str.I9. D-6000 FranKfurt 70.
*Institut fOr Theoretische PhysiK. Univ, Heidelberg . D -6900 Heidelberg.FRG
Abstract
We present a numerical computation of torques
for three different permanent magnet excited
motors. In all cases the no-load torques have
been derived from the vector potential. compu­
ted by using the Finite Element Method. both
by directly apPlying the Maxwell Stresses for­
mula and as the derIvative of the magnetosta­
tic energy with respect to the rotatIon angle.
In one Of the cases the on-load torques have
also been computed. Instead of the energy, func­
tion we have used a "total work function' at
constant current. The agreement between the
torque values obtained by the two methods is
very good,
1. Introduction
The precise Knowledge of the no-load torque is
of great importance for the design of low
noise permanent magnet excited motors, To this
aim the FEM can be used as a powerful methOd.
However. it is not always clear if the preci­
sion of the numerical results is high enough
In order to be able to make accurate state -
ments about the magnetic noise phenomena of
the machine. It is therefore interesting to
compute the forces from the vector potential
by using two different methods, The difference
in the results may be taken as a criterion for
the overall precision of the methOd,
In part 2 we shali deduce the formulas applied
in the computation of energy and torque; part
3 shows the examined motors and the respective
calculation results.
Several basically equivalent methods for the
determination of energy, forces and torques in
electromagnetic systems have been dis u�sed in
� mula:
detail in various textbooks (see e. g, Ij),
For implementation In a Finite Elemen context
those methOdS that are suited best derive the
force from a system's material and field va­
lues in one 'single relative position of the
movable versus the fixed parts. These methods
include the valume integral of the force den­
sity. the surface integral of Maxwell's Stress
Tensor f21 or the r�centlY proposed Virtual
Work Ap�roach [3. 4J. Except for the different
discretization errors. these methOds lead to
essentially the same results in forces and
torques,
In comparison with these methods, which only
require a single numerical treatment of the
system, the computation of the force by diffe­
rentiating the energy with respect to a gene­
ralized caordinate (e. g, displacement or rota­
tion angle) entails the disadvantage of having
to determine the energy in several positions
of the movable parts, This normally requires
additional work on the preparation of the grid.
On top of that. evaluation errors could occur
OOI8·9464/88/0100·0463$Ol.OO© 1988
463
*
FRG
in determining the derivotion. Nevertheless.
the energy method appears useful, particularly
if an examination of the torque's angle depen­
dance is of interest anyway. which is always
the case when determining the cogging torques,
The preparation worK can be minimized if a
program for the automatical rotation of the
rotor is available, Under these circumstances
the energy method can be considered equivalent
to the other methods in respect of calculation
effort, Besides, it pravides valuable informa­
tion on the magnetic processes in the system,
which for instance can lead to a correct in­
terpretation of the mechanism responsible for
the cogging torques, thus opening ways to
their reduction,
In this paper we present the numerical results
which we obtained for the 3 motors represented
in the Figs,2a, �, 5h and 6a. The vector po­
tentials have been cOTculated with our FEM pro­
gram MANI running on a 32/16 Bit microcomputer,
2, Basic Formulas
a) The Maxwell Stress Tensor
A general formula for the torque IS:
T =\reX)'BCX)'P(J()'dl' (1)
�
In a 2D treatmen the surface integral is re­
duced to a line integral along an integration
path that is placed In the air gap [21,
In (1) r(x) is the distance between tne point
X on the integration path and the rotation
axis, e(x) the unit vector in x in aZimuthal
direction and pix) the magnetostatic pressure
on the surface, The latter can be obtained
from Maxwell's Stress Tensor by using the for-
p
-
H· (1m) 1-
(FIB)·n (2)
Z
= - J
with n the unit vector normal to the integra­
tion path I in X,
In the case of an exact (ideal) solution the
integral (1) is independent of the integration
path chosen. Due to unavoidable discretIzation
errors this characteristic is only rOU hlY �
preserved in a FEM solution (see also 2J,[3]1
It always appears reasonable to place .he i�­
tegration path in the middle Of the grId trI­
angles' edges, where the values of B are ap­
proximated best ,
b) The Energy Method
Forces and torques can be derived both from
the energy and the co-energy of a system. The
co-energy seems better suited when the ap­
proach of the scalar potential is applied,
whereas in the case of a vector PQtential
approach it is the energy (see r 3j) ,
In a closed' system the torque is calculated as
IEEE
464

the derivative of the magnetastatic energy u· and I· are the valtage and the current res­
with respect to the rotation angle 0: pectivel� (the sum inclUdes all windings), A
. a Wm is the vector potentiol, j the current density,
T = - - -- , (3) The magnetastatic energy in (3) and (4) is
a0 calculated as the integral of the energy den­
If the torque is to be determined in rota­ sity w(x) in the entire domain:
tion at a constant current, the motor can no
longer be regarded as a closed system: in or­ W
m
= \
w(x) ·dxdy , (6)
der to keep the total current constant during
the rotor movement, energy has to be supplied
1
with w in princiP e consisting of 3 components:
from outside. The torque in thIS case is the w(x) W (X) + W (X) + W (x).(7)
a f m
=

derivative af a "work function" L with respect The energy density w in media with � =l is
to the rotatian angle 0: formulated as:
a
1 B- H .
-
r

T=-.d..L • w = L
a ' (8)
a0 In soft-magnetic materials (without hystere-
with
(4) sis) w is:
f
�(X)
L = W - W '
Sm wf = � H· dB . (9)
W is - as in (3) -
the magnetostatic energy,
w�ile W stands for the energy supplied from
s � shows w as a hatched area.
autside in order to maintain the tatal cur­
rent constant: TnIhOfd magnet f c materials the magnetic (free)
energy density is:
6w =
s
L' Ui'Ii·5t - ' j(Xl-8A(X),dXdY 2
[ ]
=

i ) (5) w
m = 2� UII BII (x)
; - B
rem
(X) +

W - \j(X)'A(X).dXdY ,
s 1 2
=

+
2�0�1 B1.(x) (10)

�.-
BII and B1. are the companents of B, � and �1.
the relative permeabllities parallel"and per­
pendicular to the easy axis direction.
B em is the residual flux density which has
t5 be defined separately for each different
type of hard magnetic material, as Shown in
FIG.1b,Ctd. Ih these figures the free energy
densIty s dePlctea as hatched areas.
I a) b)

3.Discusslon of the Results

We intended to use the Maxwell Method together
with the Energy Method in the calculation of
several different permanent magnet excited
motars (FfG.2n4.5,6)
and later compare the
results. 0 t IS aim, one has to enable the
inner part of the configuration to rotate au­
tomatically. We define a "rotation line" in
the air gap, divided by the radial lines of
the grid into equidistant azimuthal angle sec­
tions. A specifically developed program can
rotate the inner configuration (grid and mate­
rial distribution) in multiples of one angle
section. In the 2-pole B8 SCH motor (E.lG...)..2..!l
the discretization was 3 so that rotor
Positions could be considered in the determi­
, 6
nation of the cogging torques. These reluc­
tance tsrques recur every half slot pitch,
0
i,e. 15 , In the symmetrical positions 0 0
and 0 = 19
(slot axis opposite pole axis,
respectively tooth axis oPposite pole axis)
=

the reluctance torque disappears, The Maxwell

Magnetization characteristics for a
saft-magnetic material (a), for a per­
manent magnet with rigid magnetization
(b) and for Alnico (c,d), showing the
definitions of w and w .
f m
Method cannot give any information here. The
Energy Method requires the additional compu­
tation of the total energy at t 8e edges of
the interval (0
derivotive is zero.
o
0 and 0
= 5 ), where its = 1
The same additional computation is also needed
for the calculation of the on-load torque.
In the case of the 4-pole motor with Inner
excitation (FIG.6)
the absolute values of the
torque at-loCidfi'Ove an angle seriodicity of a
holf of a pole pitch, 1. d. 45 . AlthOugh in
the functioning motor Doth edges of thIS in­
terval are not reached at full current, the
entire characteristic (�) can be experi­
mentally verified.
 465

l.!.0tal magnet 1 c energy (J/m2J

I I !
I
�
{,!:oli1

I�
, I II
I�
[orr II ,
1

U II
li II II "I Ii ;mirm �
II lit Hillill1J1111111111 1111 III
I I I
o 3 6 9 12 15

tlM
Jfr'.'\
(Nm/lm)
1/f\ IMOTOR BOSCHJ
1'61
, � I
l-t--
\
Computed from tne Energy
" ,
COIllPuted b� uSing tne
V,I ''''"k"t1 Maxwell tresses I

J \\
!j) /:
\
\
'=
I �
J' \
11 I\,
11: � ""<l;
II J:o-. -�
o 3 6 9 12 15
ill.....2. 2-pole motor BOSCH
al Flux distribution at no-load in the
o
rotor Position 0 = 3
bl Cogging torque at no-load

FIG,3 shows the variation of the total energy,

depending on the rotor position in the BOSCH
motor (FIG.2al, The characteristic curve was
obtained from the 6 energy values at hand
using a Spline Interpolation Method where the
dlsappearance of the energy derivotive at the
edges of the interval was made a condition.
One sees that the energy variations are very
small. a fact that led many to the conclu­
sion that the Energy Method allows only an
inexact computation of the torque.
We, though, found a good agreement of the re­
sults of the Maxwell and the Energy Method in
all motors examined, both at-load and no-load
(see FIG,2b. 4b, 5c and 6bl, Had an interpola­ o 5 10 15 20 25 30
tion method been used for the Maxwell values
rn.....!± 2-pole motor JOHNSON
as well. almost the same curve of the torque
al Flux distribution at no-load in
would have been achieved.
the rotor position 0 = 100
b) Cogging torques at no-load
466

Computed from tne Energy

Maxwe II tresses
FIG,6 4-pole motor with inner permanent
magnet excitation
aJ Flux distribution at full load
bJ Torques at full load

5,References

, [1 ] J,A,Stratton, Electromagnetic Theory,

[2 ]
1 . 5 3 4. 5 6 7 .5
4-pole motor
aJ Grid triangulation
bJ Flux distribution at no-load in
the rotor position 0 = 3 0
c) Cogging torques at no-load
4.Conclusions
If the interdependence between torque and an­
gle is to be investigated and several FE-col­
Cuiotions are carried aut in a number of rotor
positions, one should olso determine the ener­
gy in the different motor parts and then cal­
culate the torque with these data.
The variation of the magneticol energy in the
magnet, iron and air can bring helpful iaeas
for reducing the cogging torques. In addition,
a means is available for verifying the torque
values gained according to Maxwell and drawing
conclusions about the accuracy of the perfor­
med calculations,
Mc Grow Hill, 1941,
K,Reichert, H.Freundl and W,VOgt, "The
calculation of forces and torques within
numerical magnetiC field calculation me­
thods", COMPUMAG 1976, Oxford,
J.L,Coulomb and G,Meunier, "Finite element
implementation of virtual work principle
for magnetiC or electric force and torque
computation", IEEE Trans, on Magnetics,
Vol,MAG-20, No,S, Sept,1984, pp,1894-6,
J,L,Coulomb, "A methodology for the deter­
mination of global electromechonical quan­
tities from a finite element analysis and
its application to the evaluation of ma­
gnetic forces, torques and stiffness",
IEEE Trans, on Magnetics, Vol,MAG-19,No,6,
Nov,1983, pp,2514-9,
E,M,H,Kamerbeek, "On the theoretiCal and
experimental determinatian of the elec­
tromagnetic torque in electrical ma­
chInes·, Philips Res, Repts, Suppl"
1970, No,4, pp,102-156.