Course syllabus

Course-PM

EEK221 EEK221 Applied computational electromagnetics lp4 VT25 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Electrical Engineering

Contact details

Responsibility	Name	Telephone (ext.)	E-mail
Examiner, lecturer, tutor	Yuriy Serdyuk	1624	yuriy.serdyuk@chalmers.se
Teaching assistant	Moon Moon Bordeori	1506	moonmoon.bordeori@chalmers.se
Teaching assistant	Babak Alikhanzadehalamdari	1674	ababak@chalmers.se
Teaching assistant	Emir Esenov		emir.esenov@chalmers.se

Course purpose

The course is an advanced course offered for students following Master Programs in the areas of electric power engineering, electromagnetics, material science as well as for post-graduate students dealing with different kinds of fields and their interactions with materials.

The course aims to introduce students to fundamental concepts of low frequency electromagnetics with examples from electrical power engineering, to give basic knowledge on numerical techniques and computer software for field calculations. The course focuses on developing practical skills in using computational tools and analyzing results of computer simulations. Essential part of the course is devoted to solving a set of electric, magnetic, thermal and coupled (multiphysics) problems related to different power frequency applications using commercial finite-element software.

After successive completion of the course, a student is prepared to solve electric, magnetic, thermal and coupled field problems related to high voltage engineering and technologies, power electronics, electrical drives and machines, material science, etc.

Schedule

Day	Date	Time	Topic	Note
Tue	25/03	08-09 09-10 10-12	Introduction Maxwell’s equations Electrostatic fields	L0, EE L1, EE L2, EE
Fri	28/03	08-10 10-12	Magnetostatic fields Thermal fields	L3, EE L4, EE
Tue	01/04	08-10 10-12	Numerical methods for solving PDEs Introduction to FEM and software	L5, EE L6, EE
Fri	04/04	08-10 10-12	Comsol Multiphysics: user interface, geometry tools, materials properties, meshing, solving, postprocessing	CE1&CE2, ES61
Tue	08/04	08-10 10-12	Electrostatics: solving model problems	CE3&CE4      ES61
Fri	11/04	08-10 10-12	Magnetostatics: solving model problems	CE5&CE6      ES61
			EASTER BREAK
Fri	25/04	08-10 10-12	Thermal fields: solving model problems	CE7&CE8      ES61
Tue	29/04	08-10 10-12	Multiphysics: solving model problems	CE9&CE10 ES61
Tue	06/05	08-12	Introduction to seminar, defining tasks for groups, starting seminar tasks	PW1, ES61
Fri	09/05	08-12	Introduction to the projects, defining tasks for groups	PW1, ES61
Tue	13/05	08-10	Working with projects	PW2, ES61
Fri	16/05	08-12	Seminar: Advanced modelling withComsol Multiphysics	SM2, ES61
Tue	20/05	08-12	Working with projects	PW3, ES61
Fri	23/05	08-12	Presentations of the projects	PW4, EF
Tue	27/05	08-10	Finalizing assignments reports	ES61

TimeEdit

Course literature

Main course materials will be distributed during lectures. Students are advised and are expected to read relevant chapters in the textbooks:

1. Fleisch “A student's guide to Maxwell's equations”, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2008, ISBN 9780511390609 (electronic version available via Chalmers library).
2. R. Claycomb “Applied electromagnetic using QuickField and Matlab”, Infinity Science Press, 2008, ISBN 9781934015124 (electronic version available via Chalmers library).
3. K. Cheng “Field and wave electromagnetics”, 2^nd ed., Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1989, ISBN 0-201-12819-5 (e-book published in 2014 is available via Chalmers library, ISBN 9781292038940).

Course design

The course comprises 12h lectures, 20h computer exercises, 4h seminar, 4 home assignments and 3 meetings (10h in total) devoted to course projects. The assignments and the project task are to be solved outside the class and are to be reported before corresponding deadlines. 

Lectures and computer exercises focus on:

Introduction: Maxwell’s equations (integral and differential forms, time and frequency domains); decoupling of electric and magnetic fields.

Electric fields: electrostatic potential; electrostatic fields; Poisson’s and Laplace’s equations; boundary conditions; polarization; capacitance; electrical forces.

Magnetic fields: magnetic flux; magnetic scalar and vector potentials; equations for magnetostatic fields; boundary conditions; self and mutual inductance; magnetic forces.

Thermal fields: mechanisms of heat transfer and related equations; heat conduction; boundary conditions; mathematical similarity of equations for electrical, magnetic and thermal fields.

Numerical methods: introduction to finite differences, finite volumes, boundary elements and finite elements.

Software: introduction to COMSOL Multiphysics environment – GUI, setting up a model, drawing geometry, assigning material properties and boundary conditions, meshing, choosing appropriate solver (linear, non-linear, parametric, etc.), post-processing, solving coupled problems.

Seminar: knowledge on electric/magnetic/thermal fields and numerical methods for solving field problems received in the lectures are further developed during the seminar. Groups of students are expected to work out approaches for solving given tasks and to present them to other students.

Assignments: four assignments related to electric, magnetic, thermal calculations and coupled problems, respectively, are included in the course.

Project work: a subject of the project work is chosen for each group of students individually. Students are welcome to bring their own topics for the project, which should be discussed with the examiner and will be accepted if they meet the objectives of the course.

Deadlines for submission of the reports:

Assignment	Distribution date	Deadline for submission
#1 (electrostatics)	08/04	24/04
#2 (magnetostatics)	11/04	29/04
#3 (thermal)	25/04	13/05
#4 (multiphysics)	29/04	27/05
Project & reviewer reports	09/05	22/05

Changes made since the last occasion

Some tasks for computer exercises have been updated.

Learning objectives and syllabus

Learning objectives:

• Demonstrate understanding of the concepts of electric, magnetic and thermal fields.
• Formulate electrostatic field problems and solve them on a computer using finite-element software.
• Formulate magnetostatic field problems and solve them on a computer using finite-element software.
• Formulate static and dynamic heat transfer problems and solve them on a computer using finite-element software.
• Identify couplings between different kinds of fields, formulate corresponding problems and solve them using finite-element software.
• Analyze design (geometry, materials, etc.) of equipment from the point of view of field conditions.
• Identify locations in the equipment where field optimization/modification is required.
• Propose a strategy for computer modelling and simulations of the identified problem.
• Illustrate (visualize) results of the computer simulations performed in different space dimensions (1D, 2D, 3D) and for time-dependent problems.
• Interpret and judge results of the computations.
• Propose ways for improved design supported by computer simulations.
• Identify potential environmental risks based on the results of performed simulations and propose ways for achieving a sustainable solution for the design on the considered system, reflect over technical choices from ethical perspective and sustainable aspects.
• Summarize and discuss the outcome of the performed simulations in a scientific report in an ethically justifiable manner related to plagiarism and authorship.

Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen: https://www.chalmers.se/en/education/your-studies/find-course-and-programme-syllabi/course-syllabus/EEK221/?acYear=2025/2026

Examination form

A successful student should fulfill the following requirements:

• take part in the seminar and contribute to the development and presentation of one of the seminar topics,
• complete the assignments and submit reports on each assignment,
• complete project work, submit written report and orally present the results,
• act as an opponent for one of the project work presentations and submit corresponding reviewer report.

The grading system is based on the following criteria (in % of the final grade):

• participating in the seminar – max. 15%,
• each approved assignment – max. 10% (max. 4´10 = 40%),
• documented and presented project work – max. 30%,
• reviewing others’ work – max. 15%.

The grades are: “failed”, “3” – 71-80%, “4” – 81-90%, “5” – 91-100%.