Motor-CAD is an Electromagnetic and Thermal analysis package for electric motors and generators, developed and sold by Motor Design Ltd. It was initially released in 1999.
An integrated ultra fast finite element module (EMag) provides accurate electromagnetic and electrical performance predictions.
The thermal module (Therm) combines lumped circuit and finite element thermal calculations for optimising the cooling system of the machine.
Cooling methods modelled include natural convection (Totally enclosed non ventilated - TENV), forced convection (Totally enclosed fan cooled - TEFC), through ventilation, water jackets, submersible, wet rotor and wet stator, spray cooling, radiation and conduction.
A wide range of housing types can be modelled.
The Lab module works with the EMag and Therm modules to help develop new design concepts. It provides efficiency mapping and duty cycle / drive cycle transient outputs within a few minutes.
Thermal analysis of electric machines is regarded as a more challenging area of analysis than electromagnetic analysis in the construction of the model and the accuracy achievable.[1][2][3][4]
Thermal analysis of electrical machines is becoming ever more important due to the increasing drive for energy efficiency and compact design machines.[5] This is particularly true for the aerospace and automotive sectors where size, weight and efficiency are driving the design of machines.[6][7][8]
The design approach often taken is to consider both electromagnetic and thermal aspects of a machines design at the early stages in machine design,[9][10] where Motor-CAD allows this to be done.
Other possible thermal modelling techniques include computational fluid dynamics. Motor-CAD has been shown to give results with a similar accuracy in a fraction of the time.[11][12]
^BOGLIETTI, A., CAVAGNINO, A., STATON, D.A.: 'Thermal Analysis of TEFC Induction Motors', Industry Applications Conference, 2003. 38th IAS Annual Meeting. Volume 2, 12-16 Oct. 2003 Page(s):849 - 856 vol.2
^BOGLIETTI, A., CAVAGNINO, A., STATON, D.A., SHANEL, M., MUELLER, M., MEJUTO, C.: 'Evolution and Modern Approaches for Thermal Analysis of Electric Machines', IEEE Transactions, March 2009
^STATON, D.A., BOGLIETTI, A., CAVAGNINO, A.: 'Solving the More Difficult Aspects of Electric Motor Thermal Analysis in Small and Medium Size Industrial Induction Motors'; IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, Volume 20, Issue 3, Sept. 2005 Page(s): 620 - 628
^STATON, D.A., PICKERING, S.J, LAMPARD, D : 'Recent Advancement in the Thermal Design of Electric Motors', SMMA 2001 Fall Technical Conference "Emerging Technologies for the Electric Motion Industry", 3-5 Oct 2001, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, USA
^STATON, D.A.: 'Thermal Computer Aided Design - Advancing the Revolution in Compact Motors', IEEE - IEMDC Conference, MIT, Massachusetts, USA, 17–20 June 2001
^FLEW, A., 'Practical Application of CAD in a High Power Density Motor for a very short duty Aerospace Actuator', UK Magnetics Society Seminar, Derby, Nov 2008
^WROBEL, R., McNEILL, N., STATON, D. A., BOOKER, J. D., MELLOR, P. H.: 'Torque Dense, External Rotor Hub-Drive for a Hybrid Solar Vehicle', 2006 IEEE Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference VPPC 2006, Windsor, UK, 6-8 Sept., 2006
^DORRELL, D.G., STATON, D.A., McGILP, M.I., 'A Combined Electromagnetic and Thermal Approach to the Design of Electrical Machines' IECON 2006, Paris, Nov 2006
^AL'AKAYSHEE, Q., STATON, D.A. : 1150hp Motor Design, Electromagnetic & Thermal Analysis, ICEM 2002, Brugge, Belgium, 25-28 Aug. 2002
^CHIN, Y.K., NORDLUND, E., STATON, D.A.: 'Thermal Analysis - Lumped Circuit Model and Finite Element Analysis', Sixth International Power Engineering Conference (IPEC2003), pp. 952 - 957, Singapore, 27–29 November 2003
^TASSI, A., ZANOCCHI, G., STATON, D.A. : 'FEM and Lumped Circuit Thermal Analysis of External Rotor Motor' IECON 2006, Paris, Nov 2006
