Electrostat: A PC-Based Finite Element Program for Rapid Field Computation

• Published in: 1986 Annual Meeting Industry Applications Society Vol. 2; pp. 1333 - 1337
• Main Authors: Cendes, Zoltan, Shenton, David, Mitchell, Robert R.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01-09-1986
• Subjects: Capacitance; Conductors; Electric potential; Electrostatics; Finite element analysis; Geometry; Software
• ISBN: 150903191X; 9781509031917
• ISSN: 2576-702X; 2576-702X

This paper describes procedures for implementing finite element electric field analysis techniques which are useful in insulation design, high-voltage engineering, electrical connector design, and other applications. The implementation is directed toward personal computers and workstations because they are particularly suited to highly interactive software. By using interactive commands communicated via the graphics screen or keyboard, design engineers can solve two-dimensional planar and axisymmetric field problems involving open boundaries and an arbitrary number of dielectrics and floating conductors. The designer can calculate fields, capacitances, and other quantities of interest, and request plots and graphs of equipotentials, electric fields, change densities, and other design quantities. The objective of this paper is not to present a new mathematical formulation of the finite element, but rather to describe procedures that make the finite element method a useful and practical engineering design tool.