Simulation and Experimental Validation of Equivalent Circuit Parameters and Core Loss in a Tubular Permanent Magnet Linear Generator for Free Piston Engine Applications

Conventional generators in general refer to rotary generators. Linear generators on the other hand uses linear motion to convert it to electricity. This linear motion is available in different processes such as free piston engines, and sea waves. Any electrical machine deals with losses and it's important to study the different losses in the system. Lot of research has gone about in developing an accurate model of core losses in a rotary electrical machine. Linear machine losses haven't been discussed or studied in detail by the researchers. This paper attempts to model and simulate the core losses in a linear generator used in free piston engine systems. Modelling of core loss has been done in FEMM. Furthermore, the equivalent circuit parameters of the linear machine have been determined by FEMM and validated by experiments. Experimental technique to determine core losses in a linear generator has been proposed. The results are analyzed and the method to determine the core losses in a linear generator have been presented.