Developments and experience in the fourier element method

The Fourier element method, which was developed for rapid calculation of magnetic fields in the end regions of generators, has been transformed by automatic mesh generation and algebraic manipulation. The first allows the entire geometry to be specified by the coordinates of the cross-sectional corners, presented in any order. The second, applied especially to combinations of modified Bessel functions, has divided by five the computation in setting up the stiffness matrix. Experience in applying the method to the end regions of large generators bas shown it to be easy to use, fast, and in accord with measurements.