Structural Parameters Sensitivity Analysis of a Permanent Magnet Linear Synchronous Generator for Hybrid Vehicles

Linear generators are complex machines with multiple structural parameters that significantly impact the electrical values generated during energy conversion. Based on this, this study presents a sensitivity analysis of which parameters have the most significant influence on the flux density, a variable that directly affects other electrical values such as flux, electromotive force, and force. In this paper, a total of ten structural parameters were selected for study with the aim of analyzing and selecting a combination that would allow the design of a new machine with improved electrical values compared to the reference machine. By using FEMM software together with MATLAB, it was possible to vary these ten parameters through lines of code, obtaining multiple models for the electric machine. Changes to the structural parameters were applied and their contribution to the improvement of flux, electromotive force, and thrust force values was observed. It was noted that the adjustments of the four most influential parameters in the improvement of electrical values had a slight effect on the final size of the generator. The air gap was reduced by 30%, the slot opening width was increased by 60%, and the heights of the magnets and translator were increased by 30%, which consequently contributed to a slight increase of approximately 7.51% in the amount of magnetic flux compared to the reference machine, an increase of 21.41% in the electromotive force, and also an increase of approximately 68.22% in the thrust force caused by changes in flux densities in both directions (Br and Bz).