Maxwell v15 9.

1
Basic Exercises Electrostatic Solver

Introduction on the Electrostatic Solver

This note introduces the Electro Static solver based on some simple examples.
This solver is meant to solve the static electric field without current flowing in
conductors (conductors are in electrostatic equilibrium). The conductors are
considered perfect such that there is no electric field inside conductors.

Capacitance of a Cylindrical Capacitor in RZ

Suppose we have a long coaxial line. We want to know what is the electric field
distribution based on the potential (or the charges) that are applied on each
conductor. We also want to determine the capacitance. We use an R-Z
representation. We will then solve the same problem using an XY representation.

Create Design
To Create Design
Select the menu item Project > Insert Maxwell 2D Design, or click on the
icon

Set Solution Type

To set the Solution Type:
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Solution Type
Solution Type Window:
1. Geometry Mode: Cylindrical about Z

2. Choose Electric > Electrostatic

3. Click the OK button

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Basic Exercises Electrostatic Solver

Create Model
Create object Inner
Select the menu item Draw > Rectangle
1. Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the position of rectangle

X: 0, Y: 0, Z: -4, Press the Enter key

2. Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the opposite corner

dX: 0.6, dY: 0, dZ: 25, Press the Enter key

Change the name of resulting sheet to Inner and color to Light Red
Change the material of the sheet to Copper
Create Air Gap
Select the menu item Draw > Rectangle
1. Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the position of rectangle

X: 0.6, Y: 0, Z: -4, Press the Enter key

2. Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the opposite corner

dX: 0.4, dY: 0, dZ: 25, Press the Enter key

Change the name of resulting sheet to Air and color to Light Blue
Change the material of the sheet to Air
Create object outer
Select the menu item Draw > Rectangle
1. Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the position of rectangle

X: 1, Y: 0, Z: -4, Press the Enter key

2. Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the opposite corner

dX: 0.2, dY: 0, dZ: 25, Press the Enter key

Change the name of resulting sheet to Outer and color to Light Green
Change the material of the sheet to Copper

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Basic Exercises Electrostatic Solver

Define Region
Create Simulation Region
Select the menu item Draw > Region
In Region window,
1. Pad individual directions: Checked

2. Padding Type: Percentage Offset

+R = 300
Specify rest to 0
3. Press OK

Assign Excitations
Based on the assumptions that the conductors are in electrostatic equilibrium, we
assign voltage potential on the object itself. In other words, we do not solve
inside conductors, we assume that all the conductor parts are at the same
potential.
To Assign Excitation to object Inner
Select the sheet Inner from the history tree
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Excitations > Assign > Voltage
In Voltage Excitation window,
Name: Voltage_Inner
Value: -1kV
Press OK
To Assign Excitation to object Outer
Select the sheet Outer from the history tree
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Excitations > Assign > Voltage
In Voltage Excitation window,
Name: Voltage_Outer
Value: 1kV
Press OK

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Basic Exercises Electrostatic Solver

Assign Executive Parameters

In addition to the fields, we are interested by the Capacitance value as well as the
force applied to the inner armature.
To Assign Capacitance Computation
Select the menu item Maxwell2D > Parameters > Assign >Matrix
In Matrix window
1. Voltage_Inner and Voltage_Outer

Signal Line: Checked

2. Press OK

To Assign Force Computation

Select the sheet Inner from history tree
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Parameters > Assign > Force
In Force Setup window, press OK

Analysis Setup
To create an analysis setup:
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Analysis Setup > Add Solution Setup
Solution Setup Window:
1. General Tab

Percentage Error: 0.5

2. Convergence Tab

Refinement Per Pass: 50%

3. Click the OK button

Analyze
To start the solution process:
1. Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Analyze All

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Basic Exercises Electrostatic Solver

Plot Electric Field Vectors

To Plot Electric Field Vectors
Select the Plane Global:XZ from history treee
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Fields > Fields > E > E_Vector
In Create Field Plot window,
Press Done
To adjust spacing and size of arrows, double click on the legend and then
go to Marker/Arrow and Plots tabs

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Basic Exercises Electrostatic Solver

View Results
To View Results
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Results > Solution Data
In Solutions window
Select Matrix tab
In our problem, we only have two conductors, therefore the
capacitance values are symmetrical.
Select Force tab
Note: The force is essentially zero since the model is
magnetically balanced.

The analytical value of the capacitance per meter for an infinite long coaxial
wire is given by the following formula:
C = 20 / ln(b/a) (a and b being the inside and outside diameters)

The analytical value would is therefore 1.089e-10 F/m (a =0.6mm, b=1mm)

In our project, then length of the conductor is 25 mm, therefore the total
capacitance is. 2.723pF. We obtain a good agreement with the obtained
result. 2.745 pF.
Note: in the Convergence tab, you have access to the total energy of the
system. We find 5.4489e-6 J. It is exactly 2000 times the capacitance
(2000V being the difference of potential).

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Basic Exercises Electrostatic Solver

Capacitance of a Cylindrical Capacitor in XY

The same problem is now solved using an XY representation

Create New Design

To Create Design
Select the menu item Project > Insert Maxwell 2D Design, or click on the
icon

Set Solution Type

To set the Solution Type:
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Solution Type
Solution Type Window:
1. Geometry Mode: Cartesian, XY

2. Choose Electric > Electrostatic

3. Click the OK button

Create Model
Create Object Inner
Select the menu item Draw > Circle
1. Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the center of circle

X: 0, Y: 0, Z: 0, Press the Enter key

2. Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the radius

dX: 0.6, dY: 0, dZ: 0, Press the Enter key

Change the name of resulting sheet to Inner and color to Light Red
Change the material of the sheet to Copper

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Basic Exercises Electrostatic Solver

Create Object Outer

Select the menu item Draw > Circle
1. Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the center of circle

X: 0, Y: 0, Z: 0, Press the Enter key

2. Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the radius

dX: 1.2, dY: 0, dZ: 0, Press the Enter key

Change the name of resulting sheet to Outer and color to Light Green
Change the material of the sheet to Copper
Create Air Gap
Select the menu item Draw > Circle
1. Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the center of circle

X: 0, Y: 0, Z: 0, Press the Enter key

2. Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the radius

dX: 1.0, dY: 0, dZ: 0, Press the Enter key

Change the name of resulting sheet to Air and color to Light Blue
Change the material of the sheet to Air

Assign Excitations
Based on the assumptions that the conductors are in electrostatic equilibrium, we
assign voltage potential on the object itself. In other words, we do not solve
inside conductors, we assume that all the conductor parts are at the same
potential.
To Assign Excitation to object Inner
Select the sheet Inner from the history tree
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Excitations > Assign > Voltage
In Voltage Excitation window,
Name: Voltage_Inner
Value: -1kV
Press OK

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Basic Exercises Electrostatic Solver

To Assign Excitation to object Outer

Select the sheet Outer from the history tree
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Excitations > Assign > Voltage
In Voltage Excitation window,
Name: Voltage_Outer
Value: 1kV
Press OK

Assign Executive Parameters

In addition to the fields, we are interested by the Capacitance value
To Assign Capacitance Computation
Select the menu item Maxwell2D > Parameters > Assign >Matrix
In Matrix window
1. Voltage_Inner

Signal Line: Checked

2. Voltage_Outer

Ground: Checked
3. Press OK

We ground Voltage_Outer. We will obtain just a 1 by 1 matrix.

Analysis Setup
To create an analysis setup:
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Analysis Setup > Add Solution Setup
Solution Setup Window:
1. General Tab

Percentage Error: 0.5 %

2. Convergence Tab

Refinement Per Pass: 50%

3. Click the OK button

Analyze
To start the solution process:
1. Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Analyze All

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Basic Exercises Electrostatic Solver

View Results
To View Capacitance
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Results > Solution Data
In Solutions window
Select Matrix tab

The analytical value of the capacitance per meter for an infinite long coaxial
wire is given by the following formula:
C = 20 / ln(b/a) (a and b being the inside and outside diameters)

The analytical value would is therefore 1.089e-10 F/m (a =0.6mm, b=1mm)

This matches the obtained value.

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Basic Exercises Electrostatic Solver

Capacitance of a Planar Capacitor

In this example we illustrate how to simulate a simple planar capacitor made of
two parallel plates. The bottom plate is modeled and the top plate is considered
by using only the edge of the dielectric (air).

Create New Design

To Create Design
Select the menu item Project > Insert Maxwell 2D Design, or click on the
icon

Set Solution Type

To set the Solution Type:
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Solution Type
Solution Type Window:
1. Geometry Mode: Cartesian, XY

2. Choose Electric > Electrostatic

3. Click the OK button

Create Model
Create Object DownPlate
Select the menu item Draw > Rectangle
1. Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the position of rectangle

X: 0, Y: 0, Z: 0, Press the Enter key

2. Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the opposite corner

dX: 25, dY: 2, dZ: 0, Press the Enter key

Change the name of resulting sheet to DownPlate and color to Yellow
Change the material of the sheet to Copper

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Basic Exercises Electrostatic Solver

Create Object Region

Select the menu item Draw > Rectangle
1. Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the position of rectangle

X: 0, Y: 0, Z: 0, Press the Enter key

2. Using the coordinate entry fields, enter the opposite corner

dX: 25, dY: 3, dZ: 0, Press the Enter key

Change the name of resulting sheet to Region and color to Green
Change the material of the sheet to Air

Assign Excitations
To Assign Excitation to object DownPlate
Select the sheet DownPlate from the history tree
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Excitations > Assign > Voltage
In Voltage Excitation window,
Value: 0 V
Press OK
To Assign Excitation to Region
Select the menu item Edit > Select > Edges
Select the top edge of the Region as shown in below image
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Excitations > Assign > Voltage
In Voltage Excitation window,
Value: 1 V
Press OK

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Basic Exercises Electrostatic Solver
Assign Executive Parameters
In addition to the fields, we are interested by the Capacitance value as well as the
force applied to the inner armature.
To Assign Capacitance Computation
Select the menu item Maxwell2D > Parameters > Assign >Matrix
In Matrix window
1. Voltage1

Signal Line: Checked

2. Voltage2

Ground: Checked
3. Press OK

Analysis Setup
To create an analysis setup:
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Analysis Setup > Add Solution Setup
Solution Setup Window:
1. General Tab

Percentage Error: 1
2. Convergence Tab

Refinement Per Pass: 50%

3. Click the OK button

Analyze
To start the solution process:
1. Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Analyze All

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 Maxwell v15 9.1
Basic Exercises Electrostatic Solver

View Results
To View Capacitance
Select the menu item Maxwell 2D > Results > Solution Data
In Solutions window
Select Matrix tab

The analytical value of the capacitance for two parallel plates is given by:
C = A/ d *0 (A is the area of the plate and d is the thickness of the di
electrics)
If we consider the plate to be 25mm by 25 mm, using the above formula,
we obtain 5.53 pF (the dielectric is 1mm thick).
We obtain 221.49pF. This value should be considered as the capacitance
of the two parallel plates with a 1 meter depth. If we rescale this value by
multiplying by 0.025m (25 mm) we find 5.53pF as well.

ANSYS Maxwell 2D Field Simulator v15 Users Guide 9.1-#