Accurate prediction of power loss distribution within an electrical device is highly desirable as it allows thermal behavior to be evaluated at the early design stage. Three-dimensional (3-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) finite element analysis (FEA) is applied to calculate dc and ac copper losses in the armature winding at high-frequency sinusoidal currents. The main goal of this paper is showing the end-winding effect on copper losses. Copper losses at high frequency are dominated by the skin and proximity effects. A time-varying current has a tendency to concentrate near the surfaces of conductors, and if the frequency is very high, the current is restricted to a very thin layer near the conductor surface. This phenomenon of nonuniform distribution of time-varying currents in conductors is known as the skin effect. The term proximity effect refers to the influence of alternating current in one conductor on the current distribution in another, nearby conductor. To evaluate the ac copper loss within the analyzed machine a simplified approach is adopted using one segment of stator core. To demonstrate an enhanced copper loss due to ac operation, the dc and ac resistances are calculated. The resistances ratio ac to dc is strongly dependent on frequency, temperature, shape of slot and size of slot opening.

The aim of this paper is to derive an analytical equations for the temperature dependent optimum winding size of inductors conducting high frequency ac sinusoidal currents. Derived analytical equations are useful designing tool for research and development engineers because windings made of foil, square-wire, and solid-round-wire windings are considered. Temperature dependent Dowell’s equation for the ac-to-dc winding resistance ratio is given and approximated. Thermally dependent analytical equations for the optimum foil thickness, as well as valley thickness and diameter of the square-wire and solid-round-wire windings are derived from approximated thermally dependent ac-to-dc winding resistance ratios. Minimum winding ac resistance of the foil winding and local minimum of the winding ac resistance of the solid-round-wire winding are verified with Maxwell 3D Finite Element Method simulations.

Due to the skin effect of eddy currents, the depth of cracks which can be detected by the traditional eddy current probe is very limited. In order to improve the ability of eddy current probes to inspect deep cracks in metal thick-walled structures, a new eddy current probe using an excitation system with phase shifted fields was proposed. Its feasibility for detecting deep cracks was verified by simulation and experiments. The results showed that the penetration depth of eddy currents in austenitic stainless steel is effectively enhanced by using the new probe.