List of Flux 2022.2 new features

Until version 2022.1, a volume region of type "coil conductor region" had to be assigned only to a single group of connected volumes of the geometry. Now, version 2022.2 allows such volume regions to be assigned to non-connected groups of volumes. When using the command "Orient wires of coil conductor region (completion/modify mode)", in case of a non-connected volume region of type "coil conductor region" with "Internal terminals", Flux will ask the user to select the faces on the input terminals and only one line defining the sense of the current for all the non-connected groups of volumes.

This new possibility of having non-connected volume regions of type "coil conductor region" in 3D is available for the subtypes Coil conductor region without losses and Coil conductor region with losses and simplified geometrical description, but not yet for subtype Coil conductor region with losses and detailed geometrical description.

Flux 2022.2 provides a new type of Skewing in the Flux Skew module allowing to model Step-Skewed topologies by means of an adapted fully-automatic extrusion procedure and specific physics algorithms to solve the associated finite elements problem. In fact, step-skewing of permanent magnets is a design procedure conceived to modify the spatial distribution of magnetomotive force along the machine's axial length. The objective of skewing is to improve certain performance aspects of the machine by reducing undesired spatial harmonics of the magnetic flux.

A new documentation branch describing the creation of a Flux project in the Flux Skew module is now available in the user guide.

In the framework of the developments for these new automatic extrusions for both the Step and the Continuous topologies, the user is no more constrained to set the axial length of the Flux project in meter and has now the choice between several length units (meter, millimeter, inch and micron) to define the machine axial length.

Some minor issues have also been fixed (e.g. on the life-cycle of compound paths).

As a consequence, in Flux Skew module the backward compatibility of .FTS files is not ensured: to use these .FTS files for the Transient initialization by file in Transient Magnetic application, the user must regenerate them with the 2022.2 version of Flux or further.

In the shape optimization module, available in Beta mode, it is now possible to use new responses such as the Torque and the Torque Ripple on a mechanical set or the Force on a face region. These new responses are all computed with the Virtual Works and allow to reduce drastically the computation time of a Shape Optimization. A new feature has also been developed and offers the possibility to go further with a Shape Optimization process, this new Feature is the Remeshing option that may be set in the Run Shape Optimization GUI. This option allows to do more iterations avoiding the cancelling of the optimization due to a too distorted mesh by inserting nodes during the solving process.

Flux 2022.2 embeds an enhanced version of the LS model for a fast and accurate computation of the iron losses in-post processing. Usage of this new model is based on the LS identification via the new version of the MILS module (developed in Altair Compose language) which is also delivered with Flux 2022.2 and which allows to identify the static and dynamic hysteretic behaviors of stacked ferromagnetic steel sheets.

This new version of the MILS is faster than the previous one (5 minutes for an identification against 45 minutes with a previous version). The MILS is also more versatile and is now able to fit complex iron sheets with a good accuracy. Its usage is really similar to the previous version: minor changes are described in the Flux user guide which has been updated accordingly.

The backward compatibility is guaranteed: in fact, Flux 2022.2 is able to read and compute iron losses with both MILS versions of the model, i.e. it automatically chooses the LS model to apply depending on the .mils file the user has uploaded.

The direct solver MUMPS has been updated from 5.3.3 to 5.5.0 consortium version from April 2022.

A new macro has been created to export LUT using MAT format files to be used in Activate, PSIM or other system software. The LUT_4SystemAnalysis macro converts your TM project to a MS one driven by I_D, I_Q and rotor position. This macro is a variation of the CreateLookUpTable ones that allows you to get 3 Look Up Table format to do your efficiency maps or system analysis:

• φ_A, φ_B, φ_C versus I_D, I_Q and rotor position
• φ_D, φ_Q versus I_D, I_Q and rotor position
• φ_D, φ_Q versus I_D, I_Q with no rotor position dependency