Optimal Topology Design of Magnetic Devices Using Level-Set Method

Abstract

To improve the performance of magnetic devices, it is required to obtain the optimal topology of a structure in magnetic fields. This paper addresses the development of a topology optimization method for design of magnetic devices using a level-set method. The distribution of ferromagnetic material is represented by introducing a level-set function into the definition of the magnetic reluctivity. The optimization problem is defined to obtain optimal configurations that maximize the magnetic energy of magnetic devices under a minimum bound of total volume. Based on the optimization formulation and the level-set method, a new structural optimization algorithm in magnetic fields is constructed that employs the finite-element method when solving the equilibrium equations and updating the level-set function. The advantages of the proposed structural optimization method are illustrated with several 2-D examples for design of magnetic devices.