Finite element modelling of 3D moving conductor devices with low conductivity

Devices which include moving conductors which are invariant in cross section normal to the direction of motion may be modelled using a finite element scheme which incorporates the Minkowski transformation. Three components of magnetic vector potential and electric scalar potential are required inside the moving medium. When the conductivity of the moving medium is very low, the magnetic field induced by the eddy currents is relatively small and can be neglected. In this case the problem may be formulated more economically in terms of two static scalar solutions. The two methods are compared with each other and with analytic solutions and experimental results.