Trial Edition

Electrostatic / Current Flow

2D Tutorials

Infolytica Corporation
July 16, 2007
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© 2007, Infolytica Corporation.

Part number EN_TE_T100

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, translated to another language, stored in a
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otherwise, without written permission from Infolytica Corporation.

The information in this document is subject to change without notice.

Introduction to the tutorials
This document includes four tutorials to help you increase your skills with ElecNet. Each
tutorial teaches you basic procedures that you can apply to your own models.

2D Tutorials
Translational geometry
• Electrostatic solution: Spheres
• Current Fkow solution: Conductance of a trimmed resistor

Additional information
The Getting Started Guide introduces you to the basic ElecNet concepts. More
information on the procedures and concepts of model building with ElecNet is found in
the Help included with each package.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

Features showcase
Tutorial #1 For a printed copy of
this tutorial, print pages
2D Electrostatic solution: Spheres 5 through 16.

Features you will learn

• Setting up the work environment by modifying initial settings, the
construction grid, and the viewing area.
• Building the geometric model using the Keyboard Input Bar.
• Setting up the problem - this consists of making components, electrodes, and
assigning boundary conditions.
• Generating the electrostatic field solution using ElecNet’s 2D Electrostatic
solver.
• Analyzing the results, which includes viewing the stored electric energy and
charge of the model, the shaded plot of |E|, and the contour of V.
• Using the RLC Matrix Calculator to verify the result for capacitance.
• Probing local fields at specific locations using the Field Line Graph feature
and the Field Sampler.

Tutorial #2 For a printed copy of

this tutorial, print pages
2D Current Flow solution: Conductance of a trimmed resistor 17 through 25.

Features you will learn

• Setting up the work environment by modifying initial settings, the
construction grid, and the viewing area.
• Building the geometric model using the Keyboard Input Bar.
• Setting up the problem - this consists of creating a new material, and of
making components and electrodes.
• Generating the current flow field solution using ElecNet’s 2D Current Flow
solver.
• Analyzing the results, which includes viewing the power of the model, the
current of the electrodes, the shaded plot of |E|, and the contours of V.
• Using the RLC Matrix Calculator to calculate resistance.
• Probing local fields at specific locations using the Field Line Graph feature.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 For a printed copy of
this tutorial, print pages
5 through 16.

Tutorial #1

2D Electrostatic Tutorial
Spheres

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Electrostatic Tutorial 1
Spheres
Modeling plan
This problem is axisymmetric. Axisymmetric electric field problems usually have the axis itself
unconstrained. Like axisymmetric magnetic field problems, only the model to the right of the
axis is drawn. The boundaries can be nearer than in a Cartesian problem, simply because the
field values fall as a 1/distance3, not 1/distance2. Commonly the potentials are specified on the
device itself, with the boundaries set to Flux Tangential or Ground. The solver produces a set of
scalar potentials as a solution.
In this example, as discussed above, the boundaries are Flux Tangential, except for the mid
conducting plane set to Ground. It deals with the breakdown voltage between two spheres. The
results match up neatly with experimental work in the laboratory. As a check of the
computational method, it is instructive to calculate capacitance and attractive force between two
spheres, and compare with published work. The figure shows a typical sphere-gap arrangement.
The experiment establishes the relationship between breakdown voltage and sphere spacing and
diameter. It is instructive for the student of high voltage to perform the real test in the laboratory,
and then simulate it using a CAD package.
According to BBS, the voltage at breakdown is 131 kV rms. The peak value is thus 185 kV. We
will apply this potential difference between the spheres and use ElecNet to calculate the
maximum electric field strength (potential gradient) at breakdown.

Creating a new model

Opening a new model
• From your desktop, double-click the ElecNet icon.
The Main window appears.
or
• If ElecNet is already running, on the File menu, click New to open a new model.

Name the model

By default, ElecNet assigns a name to the model (e.g., ElecNet1) every time a new model is
opened. As long as the application remains open, each new model number increments by one
(e.g., if the new model you have opened is the fourth one in this session, ElecNet would assign
the name ElecNet4). You can choose to retain this name, although it is recommended that you
give the model a distinct name.
1. On the File menu, click Save As.
2. In the Save As dialog box, enter Sphere as the name of the model.
3. Choose the drive and directory where you want to place the model.
4. Click Save As.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Electrostatic Tutorial 2
Spheres
Setting up the working environment
Initial Settings
Each new model reverts to the ElecNet default settings for the meshing method, preferred units
for length, time and frequency, and for how curves will be displayed in the view. For our model,
we are going to change only the preferred unit for length and accept all the other defaults.
1. From the Object page, select the model.
2. On the Edit menu, click Properties.
3. From the Preferred Unit for Length drop down list, select Millimeters.
4. Click OK.

Setting the construction grid

1. On the View menu, click Construction Grid.
A check mark next to the menu item indicates that it is enabled.
2. On the View menu, click Set Construction Grid.
3. In the Set Grid Extent and Spacing dialog, enter the following values:
• Minimum X: -10 Maximum X: 210
• Minimum Y: -10 Maximum Y: 310
• X spacing: 10 Y spacing: 10
4. Click OK.

Set view to update automatically

Use of this feature resets the view automatically to include all of the model’s geometry, as it is
being drawn.
• On the View menu, click Update Automatically.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Electrostatic Tutorial 3
Spheres
Build the geometric model
For the example chosen, the sphere is 62.5 mm in diameter. Since the problem has a plane of
symmetry, it is possible to model only the upper sphere and half the air gap as shown, where the
arc represents the sphere. Thus, the center is (31.25 +30) mm above the plane. The interior of the
sphere need not be modeled.

Draw the geometric model of the components

1. On the Tools menu, click Keyboard Input Bar.
2. On the Draw menu, click Arc (Center, Start, End).
3. In the Keyboard Input bar, enter the following coordinates to draw the sphere:
Center coordinates 0, 61.25 Press ENTER
Start coordinates 0, 30 Press ENTER
End coordinates 0, 92.5 Press ENTER
4. On the Draw menu, click Line.
5. In the Keyboard Input bar, enter the following coordinates to draw the air box:
Start coordinates 0, 30 Press ENTER
End coordinates 0, 0 Press ENTER
End coordinates 200, 0 Press ENTER
End coordinates 200, 300 Press ENTER
End coordinates 0, 300 Press ENTER
End coordinates 0, 92.5 Press ENTER
6. Press ESC.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Electrostatic Tutorial 4
Spheres
Setting up the problem
Make the component
1. On the Edit menu, click Select Construction Slice Surfaces.
2. Select the region between the outer arc and the boundary.
3. On the Model menu, click Make Component in an Arc, and enter the following values:
• Angle: -90 degrees
• Material: AIR
• Name: Air box
4. Click OK.

Make an electrode using the sphere

1. On the Edit menu, click Select Component Surfaces.
2. Select the half circle region, which represents the sphere surface.
3. On the Model menu, click Make Electrode.
4. In the Object page, select Electrode #1.
5. On the Edit menu, click Properties, verify that the “Specify the voltage...” radio button is
selected, and then enter the following values:
• Name: Electrode (Sphere)
• Voltage: 92500 volts
0 degrees
6. Click OK.

Assign boundary conditions

1. In the Object page, select Face#3 of the Air box component.
The surface of the bottom face is selected.
2. On the Boundary menu, click Ground.

Generating the electrostatic field solution

Set the solving options
1. On the Solve menu, click Set Solver Options, and verify that the following values are set:
• Material type: Non-linear
• Method: Newton-Raphson
• Maximum Newton iterations: 20
• Newton tolerance: 1 %
• Polynomial order: 1
• CG tolerance: 0.01 %
• Source frequency: 60 Hertz
Note CG Tolerance is the only value that has any significance for this electrostatic
solution. All other values are listed for information purposes only.
2. Click OK.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Electrostatic Tutorial 5
Spheres
Solve the model
• On the Solve menu, click Static 2D.
The ElecNet Static 2D Solver Progress dialog appears.

Analyzing the results

In this section, the following results are viewed:
• Stored electric energy of model
• Charge on electrode
• Shaded plot of |E| on the lowest part of the arc and the lower left hand corner surface
of the model
• Contours of V

View the energy and charge

The Post Processing bar is automatically displayed at the bottom of the main window when the
Solver Progress dialog closes and the solution is complete.

Tip Adjust the height of the Post Processing bar by placing the cursor on its top edge,
then while keeping the left mouse button pressed, dragging the bar up or down.
1. Verify that the value for Stored Electric Energy is 0.01876503078029 Joules.
2. Select the “Charge” tab.
The Charge page is displayed.
3. Verify that the value for Charge is 4.057040814199e-007 Coulombs.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Electrostatic Tutorial 6
Spheres
4. The capacitance between the spheres is simply the charge divided by the potential difference
between them (i.e., 4.057040814199e-007/185x10e3 = 2.192pF). As a comparison, the
analytical result is 2.3487 pF.
Note To reduce the error in ElecNet’s value, use adaption or a higher polynomial order.

Verifying the result for capacitance

For this procedure, we will use the RLC Matrix Calculator executable.
Note The RLC Matrix Calculator is only available once you have installed the
InfolyticaExtensions pack. Please see the Download section of our web site for
further instructions.
1. On the Extensions menu, click RLC Matrix Calculator.
The ElecNet RLC Matrix Calculator window appears.

2. Click Go.
3. At the “Save Now?” prompt, click Yes.
4. You should see the following results in the RLC Matrix Calculator text box:

Note Since there are two spheres, the value 4.38599006940386E-12 should be divided
by 2. Therefore, the capacitance calculated from the RLC Matrix Calculator form
is 2.193 pF.
5. Close the RLC Matrix Calculator window.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Electrostatic Tutorial 7
Spheres

View the shaded plot of |E|

First, we will magnify the area of the model we want to place focus on, and then update the view
to display the shaded plot of |E| for this area.
1. On the View menu, click Zoom, and then click Zoom In At Point/Box.
2. Keeping the mouse button pressed, drag the cursor down and across the lowest part of the arc
and the lower left hand corner, and then release the button.
3. From the Project Bar, select the “Field” page, and then click the tab labelled “Contour”.
4. In the “Field to Display” box, select None.
5. Click the tab labelled “Shaded”.
6. In the “Field to Display” box, select |E|.
7. At the bottom of the “Field” page, click Update View.
The shaded plot is displayed. (This may take a moment.)

Note The maximum value of |E| (4.51165e+006 V/m) is just below the sphere.

View the contours of V

Here, we want to reset the viewing area so that the whole model is visible, and then update the
view to display the contours of V.
1. On the View menu, click View All.
2. In the “Field to Display” box for the shaded plot, select None.
3. On the “Field” page, click the tab labelled “Contour”.
4. In the “Field to Display” box, select V.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Electrostatic Tutorial 8
Spheres
5. At the bottom of the Field page, click Update View.
The contour is displayed.

Plotting V on a graph using the Field Contour Graphs feature

In this procedure we are going to use the ElecNet post-processing feature (Field Line Graph) that
allows us to define a line segment, extract the 1000 field values along that segment, and then plot
the field quantities on a graph.

Note Although not shown in this procedure, Field Arc Graph and Field Circle Graph
are also available for post-processing. Please refer to the Help for more
information.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Electrostatic Tutorial 9
Spheres
1. On the Tools menu, click Field Line Graph.
2. In the Keyboard Input bar, enter the coordinates (0,0) and (0,30), pressing Enter after each
set of numbers.
Note If you prefer, you can also use the mouse to draw the line graphically.
3. The graph is automatically displayed in a new View window.

Plotting V on a graph using the Field Sampler

This procedure will demonstrate how to use the Field Sampler to extract V on an arc (that
originates at the center of the sphere and goes through the middle of the air gap) and then
generates a graph from the results.
Note The Field Sampler executable extracts field values from a solved model, exports
all the values on a grid of points to a file, and plots the variation of a specific
scalar or vector field quantity along a coordinate axis.
1. On the Extensions menu, click Field Sampler.
The Field Sampler window appears.
2. Configure the sampler as follows:
• Select the “Circular” tab.
• For Data entry, select Spacing.
• For Graphing options, select Azimuth from the drop down list.
• For Field name, select V.
• Insert the following values:
Radius (mm) Azimuth (deg) Center
Start: 31.25 Start: -90 X: 0
Spacing: 1 Spacing: 1 Y: 61.25
Iterations: 1 Iterations: 181 Z: 0

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Electrostatic Tutorial 10
Spheres

3. Click Query and Create Graph.

The graph is automatically displayed in a new View window.

Save the model

You have now completed the 2D Electrostatic tutorial.
1. On the File menu, click Save.
2. On the File menu, click Close.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Electrostatic Tutorial 11
Spheres

Summary
In this tutorial, you completed the steps in creating a sphere model for an electrostatic solution.
The skills you learned include:
• Setting up the work environment by modifying initial settings, the construction grid, and
the viewing area.
• Building the geometric model using the Keyboard Input Bar.
• Setting up the problem -- this consists of making components, electrodes, and assigning
boundary conditions.
• Generating the electrostatic field solution using ElecNet’s 2D Electrostatic solver.
• Analyzing the results, that includes viewing the stored electric energy and charge of the
model, the shaded plot of |E|, and the contour of V.
• Using the RLC Matrix Calculator form to verify the result for capacitance.
• Probing local fields at specific locations using the Field Line Graph feature and the Field
Sampler form.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 For a printed copy of
this tutorial, print pages
17 through 25.

Tutorial #2

2D Current Flow Tutorial

Conductance of a trimmed resistor

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Current Flow Tutorial 1
Conductance of a trimmed resistor
Modeling plan
This problem consists of calculating the conductance of the shape shown below. It is a rectangle
with a cut half way across it. The rectangle is 6 mm high, 10 mm long, with a slot 2 mm wide
cutting half way across. The actual units are unimportant. This is because the conductance per
meter depth is totally independent of the units in the x and y directions. It is only the ratio of
dimensions that is important here.
The electric field E is the gradient of a scalar potential V.

Creating a new model

Opening a new model
• From your desktop, double-click the ElecNet icon.
The Main window appears.
or
• If ElecNet is already running, on the File menu, click New to open a new model.

Name the model

By default, ElecNet assigns a name to the model (e.g., ElecNet1) every time a new model is
opened. As long as the application remains open, each new model number increments by one
(e.g., if the new model you have opened is the fourth one in this session, ElecNet would assign
the name ElecNet4). You can choose to retain this name, although it is recommended that you
give the model a distinct name.
1. On the File menu, click Save As.
2. In the Save As dialog box, enter Trim resistor as the name of the model.
3. Choose the drive and directory where you want to place the model.
4. Click Save As.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Current Flow Tutorial 2
Conductance of a trimmed resistor
Setting up the working environment
Initial Settings
Each new model reverts to the ElecNet default settings for the meshing method, preferred units
for length, time and frequency, and for how curves will be displayed in the view. For our model,
we are going to change only the preferred unit for length and accept all the other defaults.
1. From the Object page, select the model.
2. On the Edit menu, click Properties.
3. From the Preferred Unit for Length drop down list, select Millimeters.
4. Click OK.

Setting the construction grid

1. On the View menu, click Construction Grid.
A check mark next to the menu item indicates that it is enabled.
2. On the View menu, click Set Construction Grid.
3. In the Set Grid Extent and Spacing dialog, enter the following values:
Minimum X: -1 Maximum X: 11
Minimum Y: -1 Maximum Y: 9
X spacing: 1 Y spacing: 1
4. Click OK.

Set view to update automatically

Use of this feature resets the view automatically to include all of the model’s geometry, as it is
being drawn.
• On the View menu, click Update Automatically.

Build the geometric model

Draw the geometric model of the component
1. On the Tools menu, click Keyboard Input Bar.
2. On the Draw menu, click Line.
3. In the Keyboard Input bar, enter the following coordinates to draw the conductor:
Start coordinates 0, 6 Press ENTER
End coordinates 0, 0 Press ENTER
End coordinates 10, 0 Press ENTER
End coordinates 10, 6 Press ENTER
End coordinates 6, 6 Press ENTER
End coordinates 6, 3 Press ENTER
End coordinates 4, 3 Press ENTER
End coordinates 4, 6 Press ENTER
End coordinates 0, 6 Press ENTER
4. Press ESC.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Current Flow Tutorial 3
Conductance of a trimmed resistor
Setting up the problem
Create a new material
For the purposes of this tutorial, we need to assign a resistive material to the component we have
just drawn. Since this type of material does not exist in the Material library, we will create a new
material and save it to the database.
1. On the Tools menu, click New User Material.
2. On the General page, enter the following data:
• Name: Resistive Material
• Display color: Click Display Color and select an appropriate color
• Description: Optional
• Categories: Optional
3. Click Next.
4. On the Options page, select the following:
• Magnetic Permeability
• Electric Conductivity
5. Using the Next button to advance to the appropriate pages, enter the following values:
• Temperature Celsius = 20
• Relative Permeability = 1
• Coercivity Amps/m = 0
• Conductivity Siemens/m = 10
6. Once you have entered all the values, click Finish in the Confirmation page to create the new
material.
7. On the File menu, click Save.

Make the component

1. On the Edit menu, click Select Construction Slice Surfaces.
2. Select the interior region of the model you have drawn.
3. On the Model menu, click Make Component in a Line, and enter the following values:
• Distance: 1 Millimeter
• Material: Resistive Material
• Name: Conductor
4. Click OK.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Current Flow Tutorial 4
Conductance of a trimmed resistor
Making the electrodes

1. On the View menu, click Rotate, and then click Rotate Dynamically.
2. Place the cursor over the model and rotate it so that it appears as the illustration above.
3. In the Object page, select Face#4 of the Conductor component.
4. On the Model menu, click Make Electrode.
5. In the Object page, select Face#10 of the Conductor component.
6. On the Model menu, click Make Electrode.
7. In the Object page, select Electrode #2.
8. On the Edit menu, click Properties, verify that the “Specify the voltage...” radio button is
selected, and then enter the following values:
• Voltage: 1 volts
0 degrees
9. Click OK.
Generating the current flow field solution
Set the solving options
1. On the Solve menu, click Set Solver Options, and enter (if necessary) the following values:
• Material type: Linear
• CG Tolerance: 0.01
• Source frequency: 60 Hertz
2. Click OK.
Solve the model
• On the Solve menu, click Current Flow 2D.
The ElecNet Current Flow 2D Solver Progress dialog appears.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Current Flow Tutorial 5
Conductance of a trimmed resistor
Analyzing the results
In this section, the following results are viewed:
• Ohmic loss
• Current on electrode
• Shaded plot of |E| of the model
• Contours of V

View the ohmic loss and current

The Post Processing bar is automatically displayed at the bottom of the main window when the
Solver Progress dialog closes and the solution is complete.

Tip Adjust the height of the Post Processing bar by placing the cursor on its top edge,
then while keeping the left mouse button pressed, dragging the bar up or down.
1. Verify that the value for Ohmic Loss is 0.004154556211876 Watts.
2. Select the Conduction Current tab.
3. Verify that the values for each electrode is as follows:
• Electrode#1 -0.004154220183362 Amperes
• Electrode#2 0.004154316750244 Amperes

Calculating the resistance

For this procedure, we will once again use the RLC Matrix Calculator executable, which was
first used in Tutorial #1 (2D Electrostatic Tutorial: Spheres).
1. On the Extensions menu, click RLC Matrix Calculator.
The ElecNet RLC Matrix Calculator window appears.
2. Under “Solution matrices”, deselect Capacitance and then select Resistance

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Current Flow Tutorial 6
Conductance of a trimmed resistor
3. Click Go.
4. At the “Save Now?” prompt, click Yes.
You should see the following results in the RLC Matrix Calculator text box:

5. Close the RLC Matrix Calculator window.

View the shaded plot of |E|

1. From the Project Bar, select the “Field” page, and then click the tab labelled “Contour”.
2. In the “Field to Display” box, select None.
3. Click the tab labelled “Shaded”.
4. In the “Field to Display” box, select |E|.
5. At the bottom of the Field page, click Update View.
The shaded plot is displayed. (This may take a moment.)

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Current Flow Tutorial 7
Conductance of a trimmed resistor

View the contour of V

1. In the “Field to Display” box of the Shaded tab, select None.
2. Click the tab labelled “Contour”.
3. In the “Field to Display” box, select V.
4. At the bottom of the Field page, Click Update View.
The contour is displayed.

Plotting V on a graph using the Field Contour Graphs feature

In this procedure we are going to use the ElecNet post-processing feature (Field Line Graph) that
allows us to define a line segment, extract the 1000 field values along that segment, and then plot
the field quantities on a graph.

Note Although not shown in this procedure, Field Arc Graph and Field Circle Graph
are also available for post-processing. Please refer to the Help for more
information.
1. On the Tools menu, click Field Line Graph.
2. In the Keyboard Input bar, enter the coordinates (0,0) and (10, 0), pressing Enter after each
set of numbers.
Note If you prefer, you can also use the mouse to draw the line graphically.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation

 2D Current Flow Tutorial 8
Conductance of a trimmed resistor
3. The graph is automatically displayed in a new View window.

Save the model

You have now completed the 2D Current Flow tutorial.
1. On the File menu, click Save.
2. On the File menu, click Close.

Summary
In this tutorial, you completed the steps in creating a Trim Resistor model for a current flow
solution. The skills you learned include:
• Setting up the work environment by modifying initial settings, the construction grid, and
the viewing area.
• Building the geometric model using the Keyboard Input Bar.
• Setting up the problem, -- this consists of creating a new material, and of making
components and electrodes.
• Generating the current flow field solution using ElecNet’s 2D Current Flow solver.
• Analyzing the results, which includes viewing the ohmic loss of the model, the current of
the electrodes, the shaded plot of |E|, and the contours of V.
• Using the RLC Matrix Calculator form to calculate resistance.
• Probing local fields at specific locations using the Field Line Graph feature.

© 2007 Infolytica Corporation