Samarium allows basic two dimensional steady state thermal finite element analysis. Radiation boundary conditions for the stator OD in the case of inner rotor motors are yet to be added to the boundary conditions. Boundary conditions can be specified in four different boundaries in the mesh. Presently thermal analysis is supported only for the full motor model.
Thermal analysis in electric motors needs to ideally be carried out by 3 dimensional FEA. Please use this feature with caution and do not expect accurate results or results that are only indicative of the actual temperatures if you do not have experience using this engine with data from actual motors. Inaccurate results are guaranteed when improper boundary conditions, heat transfer coefficients are used. You have been warned.
Thermal options include boundary condition enforcement and setting of thermal coefficients as shown below in the Thermal properties for FEA. The boundary condition on the bounding box can be set in different ways. As the boundary markers are specified during mesh generation, and Samarium uses different boundary markers for thermal and magnetostatic FEA, the thermal analysis should be enabled before mesh generation is started. Please enable the thermal analysis in the Advanced page of the mesh generation properties even before the mesh input data is generated.
Thermal FEA options and boundary conditions
Results
The temperature, heat flux, and temperature gradients are part of the outputs after analysis. Temperature contours and vector arrow plots of the gradient and heat flux can be plotted as well. The shaft can optionally be turned off so that it is not part of the computations. This is usually done if boundary conditions are specified at the outer diameter of the shaft.
The core loss and copper loss are distributed in the stator and windings of the 12 slot, 4 pole motor. Boundary conditions have been specified at the bounding box, stator OD, and the shaft.
Temperature with boundary conditions applied on the left and right edges of the bounding box
Temperature gradient with vector arrows showing flow direction
Heat flux