Analysis of Magnetic Properties of Soft Magnetic Composite Using Discrete Element Method

The soft magnetic composite (SMC), which consists of insulated iron particles, has been used for electric machines and devices. The magnetic permeability of SMC is underestimated when it is assumed that SMC is composed of homogeneous particles without magnetic contact. In this paper, SMC is modeled by the discrete element method, considering the inhomogeneity in particle size and contact among particles. It is shown that the measured permeability of SMC can be reproduced by considering these effects. Moreover, the frequency characteristics of SMC are evaluated by the proposed method, and the Ollendorff formula modified with an anomaly factor is introduced.