3D EDDY-CURRENT LOSSES CALCULATION IN A TRANSFORMER TANK

This paper deals with 3D electromagnetic modelling of a transformer so as to evaluate eddy current losses in the tank. In this purpose, several numerical methods have been used with two 3D softwares, FLUX3D (LEG) and TRIFOU (EDF). These methods use either nodal finite elements with the magnetic vector potential (FLUX3D), or the edge finite elements with the magnetic field as the state variable (TRIFOU). Classical volume elements and several special elements have been used : shell elements with the magnetic vector potential for the modelling of thin conducting regions, and surface elements for conducting regions with a small skin depth. The results given by these methods with several characteristics of the tank and magnetic core have been compared and their validity domain has been verified. The shell elements suit well when the skin depth is larger than the tank thickness, whereas in the opposite case, the surface elements for thin skin depth regions are well adapted.