Formulation and Multiobjective Design Optimization of Wound-Field Flux Switching Machines for Wind Energy Drives

Abstract

In this study, constrained multiobjective design optimization (MDO) of wound-field flux switching machines (WF-FSMs) for wind energy drives is undertaken in two-dimensional (2-D) static finite-element analyses (FEA), facilitated by simple analytic formulations. The MDO implementation is fully discussed, whereby the simulations for two different problem formulations produce Pareto optimal solutions, which enable important design considerations. Two optimal design candidates, each from the MDO problems investigated, are isolated and compared. The comparison shows that minimizing manufacturing costs places too much pressure on the electromagnetic performance of the WF-FSM, whereas optimizing the generator performance may improve the efficiency and cost of the drivetrain solid state converters (SSCs), with little compromise to the generator costs. In the end, 3-D transient FEA results are provided for validation.