Validation of a Z-Matrix Finite Element Program for Analyzing Electrostatic Fields

Abstract

Modern electrical equipment designs demand more compact, complex geometries and require more strigent analyses of the associated three-dimensional electrostatic fields. Analytical solutions of such fields are limited to relatively simple geometries. Numerical solutions using the finite element method are limited by available computer storage and processing time. Lauber posed an economical method for solving three-dimensional finite element electrostatic fields by forming the finite element system matrix using Brown's Z-matrix techniques. (Lauber, 1982) (Brown, 1975) This method was implemented by a FORTRAN computer program. (Barber and Lauber, 1986) (Barber, 1988) The purpose of this paper is to briefly describe the present version of the program called FEWZ (Finite Elements using a Windown and the Z-matrix) and to show how it was validated.