Optimal Design of High Power Electronic Devices by Topology Optimization

High power electronic devices such as converter modules are frequently used as electric drives for high power electromotors. The efficient and reliable operating behaviour of such devices requires an optimal design with regard to a minimization of power losses due to parasitic inductivities caused by eddy currents. The mathematical modelling gives rise to a topology optimization problem where the state variables are required to satisfy the quasistationary limit of Maxwell’s equations and the design variables are subject to both equality and inequality constraints. Based on appropriate finite element approximations involving domain decomposition techniques, the discretized optimization problem is solved by a primaldual Newton interior-point method.