TUP4-7

The Numerical Calculation of Magnetic Shielding Effectiveness

of Comparator Based on FEM

Zhijie Zhang&Shiyan Ren

Department of Electrical Engineering
Huazhong University of Science & Technology
Wuhan, 430074,P.R.China
Tel: 27-87543701 ,Fax :27-87548737
E-mail: shiyan@?public.wh.hb.cn

fluxes of the ratio windings located outside the shield and

Abstract from ambient magnetic fields. The sketch of common
A new numerical method used to calculate the magnetic magnetic shield is shown as Fig 1.
shielding effectiveness of comparator is given in this
Magnetic
paper. This method has been applied in the heavy current /-\ ,Shield
comparator we designed, the result is quite ideal.
I. Introduction
All kinds of comparators including ac dc and ac/dc
comparators possess the notable performance of high
accuracy, low drift, high linearity, and good immunity to
extend magnetic fields [l]. The design of the magnetic
Fig 1 Congfiguration of magnetic shield of comparators
shield is very important in designing comparators.
Currently, the design of the magnetic shield is just
In his work “The Current Comparator”[2], Moore had
according to the experience. And since the analytical
introduced the magnetic approach which could give some
calculation of magnetic shielding effectiveness is
coarse estimates of shielding effects. Moore’s model is
extremely complex, the calculation model has to be
two-dimension. Then the author built a new model which
simplified, and the result of the calculation is not very
is three-dimension, and got some useful result [3]. But in
dependable, therefore the device which is designed
practical problem, analytical method mentioned above
according to it can’t reach the requirement. Numerical
can not get satisfied result. With the development of
calculation has been applied in electromagnetic field for
computer and numerical calculation technology,
many years, but it has never been used to calculate the
numerical method can solve the difficulty.
magnetic shielding effectiveness of comparators. In this
B. Model and Calculation Based on FEM
paper, we will give a fre-new method which use
Because the field we need to calculate is three-dimension ,
computer to calculate the magnetic shielding effectiveness
three-dimensional FEM is needed. Through the Maxwell
based on finite element method (FEM), and use the result
equations, we can get the following equations:
to design magnetic shield of comparator.
11. The Calculation of Shieldinv Effectiveness a2a a2a a2a
I V2@ = -+-+-
Based on FEM ax2 ay’ az2 (1)
A. Background a,I,= f(c,)
A breakthrough in the development of current
comparators was the introduction of magnetic shield. The Where C, is the boundary of the magnetic shield.
magnetic shield of comparators is in the form of a hollow
Equation (1) described the physical law in magnetic
toroid which surrounded the detection magnetic core and
shield.
detection winding, thus protecting them from the leakage

0-7803-5744-2/00/$10.00 02000 IEEE 247

Through functionalanalysis, we can get equation (2):

According to functional analysis, both boundary condition
I1 and boundary condition 111 are involved in equation (2),
we just need to deal with boundary condition I.
C. Result
According the model, we programmed with Microsoft
Reference
[l]Eddy So, Shiyan Ren, ,and David A.Bennett,”High-
Current High-Precision Openable-Core AC and AC/DC
Current Transformers” IEEE, Trans.Instrum.Meas. Vo1.42,
pp.571-576,Apr. 1993.

VCH6.0. Using the same example [3] , we compare the [2] W.J.M.Moore and P.N.Miljanie,”The current

numerical calculation results with analytic calculation Comparator,” Published by Peter peregrinus
results and the test results as the following chart: Ltd.,London,United Kingdom 1988

[3]Shiyan Ren, Hengchun Ding, Mingming Li and

Shengneng She,”Magnetic Shielding Effectiveness for

Comparators,”IEEE Trans.Instrwn.Meas.Vo1.44,pp.422-

424,Apr. 1995

Chart1 Comparison of analytical and numerical

calculation results with test results

From chart1 we see that when ,ur is large enough, the

*This paper is supported from the National Natural

three results correspond well to each other. When p r is Science Foundation of China (No. 59877006).

small, the results of analytical calculation have biggish

error, whereas the relative error between testing results
and numerical calculation results is still in the reasonable
range. It is because that the analytic calculation is based

on the assumption that p r is big enough.

in order to use analytic calculation method, there are
many other limits. But FEM can be applied in any
condition.
111. Conclusion
The finite element method is an effective tool to calculate
magnetic shielding effectiveness of comparator. It can be
used in almost any condition without any predigestion
and assumption. With its help, we can design comparator
with high efficiency.
This new method mentioned above has been applied in
the designing of the heavy ac comparator which is used
for on-site test of the output current transforms of ac
generators. Testing of the comparator indicates it’s
immunity to extend magnetic is increased obviously. It
is proved the validity of the new method.

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