Electrical Machines: CW1

Instructions
There are several parts to this exercise. You are best to read through this before starting Maple TA.
There is some analysis to be done to calculate the equations to enter into Matlab. Do this first.

Once you start Maple TA, you will have a week to complete the exercise. Maple TA will give each
student randomised parameters and you have to use them in the problems below.

There is a VERIFY button after the first 4 answers in MapleTA. You have three attempts to get the
answers correct – this will check the equations you are using are correct. Otherwise your future plots
will be incorrect. If you get the first four answer incorrect, you need to check your equations and
your algebra (as well as significant figures etc).

1 Plunger actuator
The diagram shows a cylindrical plunger, moving through a gap in a steel shell which is fitted with a
coil. When the DC current in the coil is zero, the plunger will drop onto a base or ‘stop’. At this point
the value of ‘x’ is xmax. When the coil is energised, the plunger rises until it meets another stop
position, at xmin.

Information:

Diameter of plunger: D cm
Turns in Coil: N
Length of Air gap at top of cylindrical plunger: x cm
Length of air gap between cylindrical plunger and steel shell: g mm
Length/height of overlap area at air gap g: h cm

The flux density in the air gap is given by:

𝑔𝐷
𝐵 = 𝜇𝑜 𝑁𝐼/(𝑥 + )
4ℎ

Coil, N turns x

g h

i D

Electrical Machines CW1 / JW Page 1

1.1 Instructions
Work out the following equations that you will need to do the calculations in your matlab script. Do
this BEFORE starting your script. And BEFORE opening Maple TA.

Calculation required:

(a) Calculate the cross sectional areas associated with each air gap:

The cross sectional surface area that the flux crosses associated with the air gap ‘x’, will be
the cross section of the cylindrical plunger.

Now think in 3D: the plunger is a cylinder moving through a cylindrical gap in the steel shell.
The flux crosses from the steel shell to the cylindrical plunger across the surface area of a
cylinder. Hence, the cross sectional surface area will be the surface area of a cylinder with
height ‘h’.

(b) Rearrange the expression for flux density which was given to you to find the current Io when
B= Bp, x= xmin. The current will now be held constant at this value for the remaining
calculations.

(c) The inductance has been calculated for you as:

1 𝐷
𝐿(𝑥) = ( ) ∗ 𝑁 2 𝜇𝑜 𝜋 ( )2
𝑔𝐷 2
𝑥+
4ℎ
Write the expression for Wfld’(x) presuming it is a linear magnetic system (what does this
mean?)

(d) Determine the force ffld by differentiating the expression for coenergy (the general equation
is in your notes and in the formula booklet.) Hint: you might need to revise how to
differentiate a function like f(x) = K1/(x+K2).

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1.2 Create Matlab script
Go on to Maple TA. This will start your time. Take the parameter values for the following variables:

D, h, g, xmin, xmax, N, Bp

Go to Matlab. Create a Matlab script called PlungerYourName.m and enter the parameters from
MapleTA. Remember to convert to SI units correctly. Write comments so that you can keep track of
what you are doing.

Enter the expressions for I, L, the coenergy, Wfld’ and the force ffld in your matlab program.

You should now have a program that looks like

% Your Name
% Title
% Brief explanation
% Parameters
…

% Calculations

Ax =

Ag =

I=

L=

WfldDash=

Ffld =

Let x= xmin and run your program. Check that your script will run with no obvious immediate errors.

Note that writing ‘format long’ will give you more significant figures to check your rounding!

1.3 Tests
PART1 MAPLE

For x = xmin, determine the values of Ax, Ag, I, L, Wf;d’ and Ffld from your script output.

Enter this in Maple to 4 significant figures.

There is a VERIFY button in Maple TA to check you have these answers correct. You have 3
attempts to get this correct. Do not waste them.

PART2 MAPLE

For x = xmax, determine the value of Wfld’ and hence calculate the change in energy as the plunger
movers from position xmin to xmax. Be careful in your calculation and your answer to note whether the
change in energy is positive or negative.

Enter this in Maple to 4 significant figures.

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1.4 Plot
Using the value of current found, plot two graphs:

(i) the expression for inductance against x as x varies in steps of 0.0001 m from xmin to
xmax. It will be easier to understand if you plot x in mm. For example.
plot(xmin*1000, Ffld);
xlabel (‘position x (mm)’);

(ii) the expression for force against x as x varies in steps of 0.0001 m from xmin to xmax

Still in matlab (for PART3 MAPLE): From your graphs, what is the minimum and maximum value of L
and Ffld?

This will be entered in Maple to FOUR significant figures.

Still in matlab (for PART4 MAPLE) :

Using the crosshair cursor with your graphs, what is the approximate value of L and Ffld for x = 12
mm.

This will be entered in Maple to 4 significant figures.

Multiple Choice Questions in Maple

Answer the multiple choice questions in Maple about the problem and the graphs.

Final Note

Open a Word document. Put your name at the top.

Copy your program and your Figures into the document. Save it and keep it in case it is required.

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