Magnetic Equivalent Circuit Framework for an Axial Flux Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine

This paper presents a quadrilateral mesh element based magnetic equivalent circuit framework (MECF) for an axial flux permanent magnet synchronous machine (AFPMSM). Firstly, the modelling process of quadrilateral mesh element is introduced. Then, the axial and circumferential air gap flux densities of the AFPMSM are calculated by two kinds of air gap mesh methods respectively. The proposed MECF method can not only consider the material nonlinearity, leakage flux and rotor movement, but also predict the locations where magnetic saturation occurs and small fluctuations of the air gap flux densities. Finally, the MECF results are compared with finite element analysis (FEA).