Thermomechanical stress analysis of the main insulation system of traction electrical machines

Sammanfattning: More efficiency heavy-duty vehicles are developed with higher range, updated electronic and mechanical parts. The fuel efficiency and pollution of carbon dioxide need to be lower to achieve new EU regulations. The global population increases with an increased number of heavy-duty vehicles. This, in turn, increases the emission. By taking the electrical and mechanical parts to the next step, the global emission problems can be massively reduced. Electrical machines are the next step towards a cleaner future. The main goal of this study to investigate the electrical machine’s insulation system. Thermo-mechanical stresses due to thermal cycling affect the electrical machines and its sub-components. By using a FEM application with simplified models of the electrical machine, results are obtained and discussed. Specifically, if 2D-models are sufficient enough to represent a 3D-model. How good different 2D-models can represent the 3D-model is compared and discussed in this study. A physical experimental analysis is done to verify and calibrate the FE-models. Which one of the less frequent higher amplitude or more frequent, lower amplitude thermal cycling affects the insulation system most is determined. The simulations could be done with either, coupled-temperature displacement analysis or sequentially coupled analysis. Coupled-temperature displacement is the fastest method to use in the simulation models. A 3D-model is the best way to describe an object and is therefore implemented. Two additional 2D-models are developed for faster computation and to investigate if the models can represent the three-dimensional geometry. All the models have specific boundary conditions to make the models more simplified. Sensitivity studies have been done to determine which parameter affects the induced thermo-mechanical stresses the most. A physical experimental setup is also implemented to validate and calibrate the simulation model. The result of the 3D-model is most accurate when simulating a three-dimensional object. Simulation results have shown that epoxy, one of the main components in the insulation system, is most critical in terms of reaching breakdown first, followed by paper insulation and copper coating. This is a typical result of all three simulation models. Whereas it is concluded that some 2D-models can present the 3D-model, others can’t. The dependent factor is the different cross-section of the electrical machine. The physical experiment shows similar results between simulation in terms of strain at a lower temperature, and the deviation gets larger as the temperature increases. The 3D-model is the model that has the best representation of a real electrical machine as it accounts for all the normal and shear stress components in all directions, but also because it has better boundary conditions compared to the 2D-models. The 2D-model in XY-plane has shown similar results to the 3D-model. One of the main insulation system components, epoxy, is exposed to the highest stresses compared to its yield and ultimate strength, followed by the paper insulation and copper coating. The sensitivity study has concluded that the axial length of the stator does not affect the stress amplitudes. The most critical parameter that affects the thermo-mechanical stresses is the temperature amplitude, the materials CTE and the thickness of the jointed layer. All maximum stress amplitudes of all the components are located at the free end.