Finite Element Modeling of Power Cables using Coordinate Transformations

TL;DR

This paper introduces a coordinate transformation approach to simplify finite element modeling of power cables with complex, helicoidal geometries, enhancing computational efficiency in electromagnetic simulations.

Contribution

It extends previous symmetry-based dimensional reduction techniques by integrating a helicoidal coordinate transformation into the magnetic vector potential formulation.

Findings

Improved modeling efficiency for twisted power cables.

Successful incorporation of helicoidal transformation into A-v formulation.

Potential for more accurate simulations of complex cable geometries.

Abstract

Power cables have complex geometries in order to reduce their ac resistance. Although there are many different cable designs, most have in common that their inner conductors' cross-section is divided into several electrically insulated conductors, which are twisted over the cable's length (helicoidal symmetry). In previous works, we presented how to exploit this symmetry by means of dimensional reduction within the $\mathbf{H}-\varphi$ formulation of the eddy current problem. Here, the dimensional reduction is based on a coordinate transformation from the Cartesian coordinate system to a helicoidal coordinate system. This contribution focuses on how this approach can be incorporated into the magnetic vector potential based $\mathbf{A}-v$ formulation.