TRR 361:  Computational Electric Machine Laboratory: Thermal Modelling, Transient Analysis, Geometry Handling and Robust Design

• Subject Area: Computer Science, Systems and Electrical Engineering ; Mechanical and Industrial Engineering ; Materials Science and Engineering ; Mathematics ; Thermal Engineering/Process Engineering
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 492661287

The transition to renewable energy sources is driving continuous developments in the electrification of industry and society, and innovations in electric machine design can significantly contribute to increasing sustainability and reaching our climate goals. Future motors demand higher power densities, minimised weight and costs and a reduced dependence on critical raw materials. Achieving these goals requires a high level of customisation and adaptability to different operating conditions which drives traditional design workflows to their limits. The consideration of complex machine topologies, new manufacturing techniques, transient operation regimes and thermal constraints calls for a novel fully integrated simulation and design approach. This Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) aims to advance the theoretical foundations and simulation tools required for next-generation machine design by bringing together a diverse team with interdisciplinary expertise in electrical engineering, numerical mathematics, fluid dynamics and materials science. The first funding period has already brought numerous collaborative scientific achievements, including novel spline-based simulation techniques for electric machines, robust freeform and topology optimisation, the invention of a new cooling concept and significant advances in the understanding and efficient implementation of eddy current simulations with hysteresis. Research results are continuously evaluated by comparison against benchmark problems and commercial software tools, as well as experimental data. Research objectives are reviewed and adjusted in consultation with the advisory board, industry colleagues and the scientific community. In the second funding period, the CRC will further advance its research activities on electric machine modelling, simulation and design methodologies by considering multiphysical material behaviour, time-dependent operation conditions and advanced experimentation methodologies. In addition, we will take up new research trends that have gained momentum in the last four years by the consideration of novel cooling concepts and their impact on the design process, the incorporation of three-dimensional effects and the increased use of machine learning techniques. We further plan to strengthen our validation process through more sophisticated integrated experimental setups, which will deepen the understanding of the underlying physics and allow for better calibration of models and algorithms. Through our collaborative fundamental research efforts, we aim to bring novel, highly efficient, adaptable and robust simulation and design methodologies to a level of maturity ready for application in industrial practice. This will enable practitioners to push the limits of electric machine design. Our close collaborations will further strengthen the existing bonds between the involved research areas, enabling scientific progress beyond the scope of traditional research disciplines.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• International Connection: Austria, Netherlands

Current projects

• A02 - Isogeometric and Reduced Order Models for Efficient Drive Cycle Simulation (Project Heads Gangl, Peter ;  Schöps, Sebastian )
• A03 - Electric Machine Models with Adaptive Resolution (Project Heads De Gersem, Herbert ;  Mütze, Ph.D., Annette )
• A04 - Electric and Thermal Stresses in Electric Machine Insulation (Project Head Späck-Leigsnering, Yvonne )
• A05 - Multiscale Simulation of Hysteresis and Eddy-Current Losses in Magnetic Core Materials (Project Head Xu, Bai-Xiang )
• A06 - Motor Behaviour Prediction in Inverter Operation (Project Heads Burkhardt, Yves ;  Schöps, Sebastian )
• B02 - Highly Efficient Heat Transfer Through Multi-phase Cooling (Project Heads Brenn, Günter ;  Oberlack, Martin )
• B03 - Study of Thermal Load Peak Treatment Utilising Transient Aerosol Flow in the Air Gap (Project Heads Hussong, Jeanette ;  Roisman, Ilia )
• B05 - Experimental Investigation of Heat Transfer Processes in Spray Cooled Electric Motors (Project Head Dreizler, Andreas )
• C06 - Multiphysics Modelling of Electric Machines with Isogeometric Analysis (Project Heads Merkel, Melina ;  Weeger, Oliver )
• D03 - Design Optimisation of Electric Machines under Uncertainty and Optimal Design of Experiments for Parameter Identification (Project Head Ulbrich, Stefan )
• D06 - Port-Hamiltonian Neural Networks for Surrogate Modelling and Uncertainty Quantification (Project Heads Schöps, Sebastian ;  Weeger, Oliver )
• INFZ02 - Research Data Management (DFG) (Project Heads Bali, Madeleine ;  Kummer, Florian )
• MGKZ01 - Integrated Research Training Group (DFG) (Project Heads De Gersem, Herbert ;  Schanz, Martin ;  Weeger, Oliver )
• Z03 - Central Administrative Project (DFG) (Project Head Schöps, Sebastian )

Completed projects

• C01 - System Level Co-Simulation for Drive Cycle Analysis (Project Heads Egger, Herbert ;  Schöps, Sebastian )
• D01 - Data-driven Surrogate Modelling and Uncertainty Quantification for Electric Machines (Project Heads Loukrezis, Dimitrios ;  Schöps, Sebastian )

• Applicant Institution: Technische Universität Darmstadt
• Co-Applicant Institution: Technische Universität Graz
• Participating University: Johannes Kepler Universität Linz
• Participating Institution: Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Sebastian Schöps