THE USE OF COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS TO MODEL

THE AIR FLOW IN THE END REGION OF A TEFC INDUCTION

MOTOR
D Lampard, S J Pickering, and J Mugglestone
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Nottingham

ABSTRACT the end clearance between the end shield and

core which may v a q from machine to machine.
This paper describes how computational fluid
dynamics (CFD) can be used to model the 1Figure I:End regilon configuration
ventilation of end windings in TEFC electric
motors. The problems in modelling the complex
air flows in the end region of induction motors
are described. Suitable approaches to the CFD
modelling are then described. The results reveal
large variations in the flow patterns and thus
identify significant features that affect the
thermal behaviour of the machine.

INTRODUCTION

Thermal constraints represent one of the main

limitations in the design of electrical machines.
Accurate thermal predictions can therefore make a
significant contribution to the design process: for
best economy the machine should operate close to,
but not above, the thermal limit of the insulation.
This small margin for error together with the
competitive environment leads to a constant
necessity for more accurate performance
predictions.
The basic configuration of the end region in a
TEFC induction motor is shown in Figure 1. The
ventilation is based around a simple internal fan
arrangement consisting of wafters mounted on
the end of the rotor and the fan effect caused by
the rotor bar extensions. This ventilation system
serves three purposes:
a) cooling the end winding;
b) providing local cooling for the rotor;
c) aiding heat transfer on the inside of the
casing in order to help dissipate the losses
from the rotor, stator, and the resultant
ventilation losses.
It therefore significantly influences the
temperature rise of the whole machine. The air
flow pattern is complex because of the open
structure of the end windings, the fan effect of
both the wafters and the rotor bar extensions, and
Due to the complexity of the flow pattern and the
many complex geometric features, there are large
variations in the flow velocity and direction
around the end region. These are difficult and
expensive to analyse in detail experimentally,
and the application of computational fluid
dynamics (CFD)pirovides a means of modelling
the air flow and heat transfer. This paper
describes how CFD can be used to model air
flow and heat transfer in the end region.
CAPABILITIES OF CFD
Computational fluid dynamics software can
model fluid flow by solving, numerically, the
fundamental fluid flow equations (Navier-Stokes
equations). Where the flow is turbulent, which it
usually is in air flows in electrical machines,
appropriate mathematical models, usually based
upon empirical results, are used to describe the
effects of turbulence. General purpose CFD
packages are now available commercially and
they can be used to solve many fluid flow

0 1997The Institution of Electrical Engineers.

Printed and published by the IEE, Savoy Place, London WCPR OBL, UK. 2/1
problems. However, there are two features of the
air flow in the end region of an electrical
machine that make it difficult to model with the
CFD software current available commercially.
1) The motion of the wafters and the rotor bar
extensions generate an inherently unsteady air
flow, due to interaction with stationary
components. This interaction creates a very
complex flow pattern, where the mean flow
quantities exhibit periodic fluctuations as the
wafters and rotor bars sweep past the end
windings. These rotor-stator interactions must be
accurately simulated, as the air flow and heat
transfer characteristics are highly dependent
upon them. The flow field in the end region is
dominated by these interactions, which result
from:
a) interaction between wafters and end
windings;
b) interaction between wafters and ribs on
the end shield;
c) interaction between rotor bars and end
winding;
structured grid approach in which the region of
flow (the domain) is represented typically by six
sided brick type cells. These may be distorted to
fit any generally curved geometry (body fitting)
but there is a requirement for the rows of cells to
run continuously through the domain. This can
lead to problems when modelling very complex
geometries, and the fine detail of the end winding
thus requires an extremely fine mesh. This,
together with the unsteady flow regime, leads to
a computationally very demanding solution,
which is currently on the limits of large
workstations.
The sliding mesh technique has the limitation of
being also computationally demanding.
However, due to the mesh requirements of the
end region it is advantageous to adopt a more
economical 'time-averaged' solution of this flow
field, using a multiple rotating reference frame
technique. This uses a similar subdivision of the
end region into two meshes, but with this
approach an assumption of steady flow is made
at the interface.

A complete description of this transient flow Figure 2:Slidingmesh grid configuration

field can be modelled using a sliding mesh
technique[ 13. With this approach the unsteady
effects are modelled by subdividing the domain
into two separate meshes. A rotating grid is
constructed around the rotor, and a stationary
mesh around the rest of the domain (figure 2 ) .
Since the flow is inherently unsteady, a time-
marching algorithm is used to allow the inner
rotating grid to slide relative to the outer static
grid.

2) The flow regime is complicated further by the

geometry of the end winding. This has various
geometric features (clearances between windings,
packing, etc..), all of which could enhance or
adversely affect the local heat transfer depending
upon the local air flow. This creates difficulties
as the geometry must be accurately represented
by a suitable grid that is fine enough to resolve
the geometric complexities and steep changes in
flow velocity that occur within the passages in
between the end windings. CED codes are now being developed that use
unstructured grids. These typically use
tetrahedral cells of the type commonly used in
LIMITATION§ OF CFD CODE§ finite element analysis software, and they can
represent complex geometries much more
The majority of CFD software developments efficiently.
have until recently been based around a

212
APPROACHES TO CFD MODELLING The resultant end winding geometry is shown in
figure 3.
The end region has been modelled using both
structured and, more recently, unstructured grids.
With a structured grid, different approaches may
be used to simplify the analysis as described
below:

Porous media amroach

A good indication of the overall flow regime in

the end region can be achieved by using a porous
media to represent the end windings. This
approach eliminates the detail of the end
1
.
1 II :%%
windings themselves but assumes that they can
be modelled as a region of uniform permeability
which imposes a resistance to the flow. As the
detail is not modelled it provides a very
economical solution method. Although it may be Structured grids have the limitation of being
used to give an indication of overall flow patterns uneconomical when modelling complex flow
the heat transfer on the end winding cannot be regimes, and therefore this limits the size of the
predicted by this approach. Furthermore, the sector modelled. lin the approach developed it
model has to be validated with experimental was only feasible to model one cyclic repeat of
results to confirm that the correct values for the the end winding (approximately 9 degrees).
permeability coefficients have been assumed.
Modelling the end $windingusing an unstructured
The use of Body Fitted Co-ordinates (BFC) grid

The use of BFC with a structured grid allows the
cells to be distorted to fit the generally curved
shape of the geometry. However, when using
BFC to represent the end windings, the nature of
the pitched sections creates several problems.
This is because the inner and outer pitched
sections are twisted in opposite directions, and
there is very little clearance them. This inherently
results in severe twisting of a structured grid, and
this excessive skewness leads to inaccurate
results due to numerical diffusion.
Unstructured grids are very much the future of
CFD modelling, as they are the most powerful
technique for accurately and efficiently
simulating complex flow fields around realistic
geometries. The nature of this tetrahedral grid
structure allows the end winding's geometry to
be modelled without simplification. However,
this creates a much more computationally
demanding solution. A section of the model is
shown in figure 4, which shows the rotor-stator
assembly.

Simdified end winding geometrv using a

structured grid

Simplifying the geometry while maintaining the

integrity of end winding requires careful
consideration, as it is the geometry of the end
winding that is of primary interest in terms of
both the flow and heat transfer. The approach
developed in this section uses a BFC grid to
represent the geometry in the axial plane (i.e. the
nose radius, and cone angles) and a simplified,
stepped, representation of the pitched sections.

213
VALIDATION OF MODELS enclosed system, the flow discharged from the
wafters must create a recirculating flow that
The CFD model can provide a complete passes through the end region and then returns to
description of the air flow and thermal the rotor. Typical predictions of the flow are
characteristics, but, due to the complexity of the shown in figures 6 and 7.
flow the results, must be carefully validated. The
CFD results for the structured grid approach have
been validated against air flow measurements
obtained from a specially designed experimental
model. This wooden model had many of the
geometrical features of the end windings but with a
much simpler shape, comprising simple
rectangular loops, that could be modelled easily
using a structured CFD code. The CFD code used
for all of the results presented in this paper is
Fluent Version 4.32. The model has been
validated under a wide variety of operating
I I- 2, I C

conditions. These include the effects of end he Figure 6 . Typical recirculation in the end region 1 "--'
winding configuration, wafter configurations, and
, 11"."1
4.m
I_

other end region modifications. Generally, all the

CFD results were within the tolerance of
--
experimental error. A typical example of a
comparison between CFD and experimental flow
fields is shown in figure 5 , which shows a velocity
distribution along an axial traverse midway
between the wafters and the winding.

Figure 5:Typid comparison between exp+ment and CFD flow fields

TANOWTULlYaDQnlDlmsMMI

:;j
Interrogation of the CFD results allows flow
details to be seen in vital areas such as inside the
end windings (figure 8).

THE FLOW PATTERNS WITHIN THE

END REGION OF A TEFC MACHINE
The wafters and rotor bar extensions form radial
flow impellers. Since the end region is an
Clearly, there are large variations in air flow
velocity around the end region. Generally, heat
transfer coefficients are related to air velocity

214
and so there are also large variations in heat
transfer within the end region.
In the space inside the end windings, the flow is
predominantly tangential and there are high
velocities. This will result in good heat transfer
from the inside surfaces of the end winding. The
reluctance of the predominately tangential flow
to penetrate the end winding severely affects the
heat transfer from the remaining surface area.
The flow velocities inside and behind the end
winding are less than 10 % of the flow generated
by the rotor. These together with numerous
regions of flow separation produce relatively
poor heat transfer from these surfaces. This low
flow penetration into the end winding is caused
partly by the flow restriction caused by the end
winding itself, but also by the limited gap
between the top of the end winding and the end
shield, that restricts the flow returning to the
wafters.
b) Since flow c’onditions vary widely around
the winding, an experimental analysis is very
expensive and time consuming, while
offering less information than a CFD
solution.
However, the geometric features of the end
winding and the complexity of representing the
rotor-stator interactlion leads to a computationally
very demanding solution, which is at the limit of
current commercially available CFD software
and reasonably pricted computer workstations.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The work described in this paper was carried out
under an EPSRC CASE Studentship sponsored
by GEC Alsthom Large Machines. The
permission of the sponsors to publish the paper is
gratefully acknow1e:dged.

CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS REFERENCES

A series of extensive measurements of heat [ 11 Rai, W.E., “Navier-Stokes simulation of

transfer on the end windings are currently being Rotor-Stator Interaction Using Patched and
carried out, and these will be used to validate Overlaid Grids”, AMA-85-15 19,Reno,
CFD predictions of heat transfer. These on-going Navada,1985.
investigations are emphasising the importance of
being able to accurately predict the flow regime
in the end region. They have found that the flow
is very sensitive to changes in the end region’s
geometric characteristics.

CONCLUSION

Computational fluid dynamics is at a state of

development where it can now be applied to
assist in the design of complex air flow and
cooling systems like the end regions of TEFC
electrical machines.

The CFD approach offers several attractive

advantages over experimental approaches with
respect to the analysis of the complex flow in the
end region:

a) There are no inaccessible locations in a

CFD model. This allows a detailed analysis in
vital areas such as the flow through the
wafters and the flow inside the end winding;

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