MINIMAX APPROACH TO THE OPTIMAL SHAPE DESIGN OF ELECTROMAGNETIC DEVICES

Abstract

A new method of designing electromagnetic devices is presented in this paper. As a result of applying a very effective algorithm for non‐linear minimax optimization, a flexible method for Computer Aided Design (CAD) of electromagnetic devices has been obtained. The algorithm is based on successive linear approximation of the functions defining the problem. In each iteration step those functions are computed with the aid of the Finite Element Method (FEM). The resulting linear sub‐problems are solved in the minimax sense subject to the linear equality and inequality constraints. The application of the new method for the design of two different examples are presented. The first example is a classical case of shape designing with the aid of the independent nodes movement (INM) method. In the second example the applied equality constraints added to INM have reduced the problem to the optimal location. In both cases the method proved its flexibility and usefulness in CAD.