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This paper aims to describe a modelling and solving methodology of a (static converter–electric motor–control) system for its sizing by optimization, considering the dynamic thermal heating of the machine.

The electrical drive sizing model is composed of two simulators (electrical and thermal) that are co-simulated with a master−slave relationship for the time step management. The computation is stopped according to simulation criteria.

This paper details a methodology to represent and size an electrical drive using a multiphysics and multidynamics approach. The thermal simulator is the master and calls the electrical system simulator at a fixed exchange time step. The two simulators use a dedicated dynamic time solver with adaptive time step and event management. The simulation automatically stops on pre-established criteria, avoiding useless simulations.

This paper aims to present a generic methodology for the sizing by optimization of electrical drives with a multiphysics approach, so the precision and computation time highly depend on the modelling method of each components. A genetic multiobjective optimization algorithm is used.

The methodology can be applied to size electrical drives operating in a thermally limited zone. The power electronics converter and electrical machine can be easily adapted by modifying their sub-model, without impacting the global model and simulation principle.

The approach enables to compute a maximum operating duration before reaching thermal limits and to use it as an optimization constraint. These system considerations allow to over constrain the electrical machine, enabling to size a smaller machine while guaranteeing the same output performances.

The paper aims to deal with the exact computation of the Jacobian of a time criteria from a numerical simulation of power electronics structures, for the sizing by gradient-based optimization algorithm.

Runge Kutta 44 is used to solve the state equations. The generic approach combines numerical and symbolic approaches. The modelling of the static converter is based on ideal switches.

The paper extends the state equations to derivate any state variable according a sizing parameter. The integral expressions used for some sizing performances (e.g. average or RMS values) mix symbolic and numerical approaches. Choices are made for the derivatives of the extrema of which the search is not a continuous process. The use of an object-oriented implementation allows to have generic formulation of some design performances.

The paper aims to propose and to test formulations of sizing criteria and their gradients; so, the modelling of the study case is carried out manually. Due to generic modelling approach used for the power electronics, the model is not completely continuous. So, the derivatives according some parameters (e.g. switch controls) must be carried out by finite differences. However, as the global behaviour is continuous, it is not critical.

The proposed formulations can be easily applied on simple static converter applications. For applications with large state equations, it should be possible to use the basic model of switches used in simulation tools of power electronics. The solving process and the sizing criteria formulation (with their derivatives) are generic and can be instantiate for any study.

The approach proposes formulations giving a numerical sizing dynamic model with a Jacobian computed, if possible, by an exact derivation useful for optimization studies. The approach gives fast simulation and fast computation of the derivatives by combining numerical and analytical approaches.