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Co-simulation with Maxwell

Example of co-simulation of Simplorer and Maxwell:

Motor-Drive simulation

The goal of this Lab is to realize the inverter and the motor
cosimulation, using a Transient-Transient link
The Motor is a 3 phase Synchronous machine with permanent
magnets. The inverter is a basic one level inverter

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Technical Background

The co-simulation is the most accurate way of coupling the drive and the motor
model. The advantage of this method is the high accuraty, having the real
inverter currents as source in Maxwell, and the back-emf of the motor on the
inverter side.

The transient-transient link enables the use to pass data between Simplorer and
Maxwell during the simulation:
Maxwell2D and Maxwell3D can be used
Simplorer and Maxwell will run altogether
Simplorer is the Master, Maxwell is the slave
At a given time step, the Winding currents and the Rotor angle are passed
from Simplorer to Maxwell, the Back EMF and the Torque are passed from
Maxwell to Simplorer
The complexity of the drive system and of the mechanical system is not
limited

Insights on the coupling Method

The Simplorer time steps and the Maxwell time steps don’t have to be the
same. Usually, Simplorer requires much more time steps than Maxwell.
Assume the current simulation time is t0
Simplorer, based on the previous time steps, gives a forward meeting time
t1 to Maxwell where both simulators will exchange data. Between t0 and t1,
both code run by themselves.
At t1, both codes exchange data. If during the t0-t1 period, some event
appears on Simplorer side (state graph transition, large change of the
dynamic of the circuit), Simplorer will roll back to t0 and set a new forward
meeting time t1’, t1’ < t1.

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Simplorer Schematic

The first step is to build the inverter circuit.

Open Simplorer, then go to File > New
Save the project: File > Save as > Inverter
Select the Components tab from the Project Manager Window

Select, from the Basic Elements > Circuit > Semiconductors System Level library
the diode model and the IGBT model. Please make a note of the numbering of
IGBTs as rest of exercise depends on this.
Add two voltage sources (E1, E2), one Voltmeter (VM1) and 3 resistances
(RphaseA, RphaseB, RphaseC) as shown below

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Simplorer Schematic
The reference waveforms are implemented using time functions: pick the Sine
Wave in the Basic Elements > Tools > Time Functions library.

Put 3 Sine Wave blocks on the schematic, with the parameters as above
Add a Triangular wave time function block

The switching of the IGBTs is done through a state graph that will compare the
reference wave forms and the chopper signal

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Simplorer Schematic
In the Basic Elements > States library, pick up two STATE_11, two TRANS
Build the graph below then make two additional copies to have 3 circuits, one for
each phase

We will use first state graph to monitor IGBT1 and IGBT2

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Simplorer Schematic
We will specify the signal from state graphs as a control signal for IGBT1 .
Double click on IGBT1 and specify igbt1 as control signal (you need to uncheck
the use Pin button). Name the control signals of IGBT2 as igbt2

Specify the the second State graphs to control IGBT3 and IGBT4. Use third state
graph to control IGBT5 and IGBT6. Name the control signal for rest of the
IGBTs accordingly. The final circuit should look like as below.

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Mawell Project
Open the Maxwell project PM_SyncMotor.mxwl
This is a 3 phase synchronous motor. The excitation is defined with current
sources.
Run the Maxwell simulation: right mouse click on Setup1, and select Analyse

The post processing is the same as Simplorer, The Winding currents and the
Torque displays are already defined

The Maxwell excitation is basic and does not represent real life system

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Maxwell in Simplorer
In order to use a Maxwell model in co-simulation with Simplorer, the user just
needs to do a couple of modifications on the Maxwell side.
Right mouse click on the Maxwelldesign name and select copy
Right mouse click on the Project name and select paste

Rename the copied design name in 2_Maxwell_Simplorer

Go to the Maxwell menu item Maxwell 2D > Design Settings

Go to the Advanced Product Coupling tab and enable transient-transient link with
Simplorer. That will let Maxwell know that everything linked to rotor position and
winding information are to be taken from Simplorer

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Maxwell in Simplorer
Go to the winding definition under the Excitation tab, double click on PhaseA, to
open its definition
For each winding, you need to enter that you want the current information to be
read in Simplorer.
Select External in the ‘Type’ pull down menu
Make sure that the initial current is 0

Repeat the same operation for PhaseB and PhaseC.

That’s all for the Maxwell part.

Save and close the Maxwell project.
Make sure to know where the project is saved on the disk

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Simplorer Schematic

Go to Simplorer Circuit > Subcircuit > Maxwell Component > Add Transient
Cosimulation

In the Transient-Transient coupling window, open the link File area, and select
the Maxwell project
Maxwell is opened and loads the project
On the Transient-Transient link Simplorer window, the project information are
loaded

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Simplorer Schematic
Select 2D for the Design type, and choose the design 2_Maxwell_Simplorer
In the Options tab, select Pin Description and click OK.

Place the Component on the schematic, nearby the phase resistances

The component has 8 pins : 2 pins for each phase and 2 mechanical pins for the
rotor

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Simplorer Schematic
We need to increase the symbol size of the added component. Right click on the
added component and select Edit Symbol

The Symbol Editor window pops up

Click on the motor image, and move the image away in order to have access to
the symbol footprint

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Simplorer Schematic

Enlarge the footprint to the desired size.

The Pins should also be moved, as well as the pin description text zones

The motor image needs to be resized and re centered

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Simplorer Schematic

Update the project, using the icon,just above the project name

Once the project is updated, double click on the schematic name, then wire the
motor to the phase resistances. PhaseA_out, PhaseB_out and PhaseC_out
pinsare linked together in this example

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Simplorer Schematic

A constant speed is used. Go to the Component tab, in the Basic Elements >
Physical Domains > Mechanical > Displacement – Force – Representation >
Rotational_V folder, choose the V_ROTB: Angular Velocity Source

Enter 4500 rpm and link this component to the MotionSetup1_out pin
Link the MotionSetup1 pin to the (mechanical) ground

Note: Simplorer allows you to have much more complicated mechanical systems

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Simplorer Simulation

Final circuit should look as below

Set transient setup as shown in below image

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Simplorer Simulation
Before simulating, the outputs data that will be available in Simplorer need to be
defined. Open the Output Dialog

By default, most of the common outps are saved by default. Browse to the FEA1
folder, then select the desired outps from Maxwell2D that you want to keep, then
click on OK

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Simulation Results

Solve the analysis

The Co-simulation starts. Both Simplorer and Maxwell are running at the same
time. The progress bar display both the Simplorer progress and the Maxwell
progress
It is also possible to look at the simulation results in the Maxwell Desktop

The example runs in about 5 min.

It is possible in Simplorer to display the Torque, the winding currents

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Simulation Results

End

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