Passive magnetic bearing system

摘要

An axial stabilizer for the rotor of a magnetic bearing provides external control of stiffness through switching in external inductances. External control also allows the stabilizer to become a part of a passive/active magnetic bearing system that requires no external source of power and no position sensor. Stabilizers for displacements transverse to the axis of rotation are provided that require only a single cylindrical Halbach array in its operation, and thus are especially suited for use in high rotation speed applications, such as flywheel energy storage systems. The elimination of the need of an inner cylindrical array solves the difficult mechanical problem of supplying support against centrifugal forces for the magnets of that array. Compensation is provided for the temperature variation of the strength of the magnetic fields of the permanent magnets in the levitating magnet arrays.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a rotor having an axis of rotation; a first magnet fixedly attached to said rotor; a second magnet fixedly attached to said rotor, wherein said first magnet is spaced apart from said second magnet; a first Halbach array attached to said rotor; a second Halbach array attached to said rotor, wherein said first Halbach array is spaced apart from said second Halbach array and wherein said first Halbach array and said second Halbach array are both located between said first magnet and said second magnet; a first bearing magnet fixedly mounted external to said rotor and configured to attract said first magnet; a second bearing magnet fixedly mounted external to said rotor and configured to repel said second magnet; and a conductor array fixedly mounted external to said rotor and positioned between said first Halbach array and said second Halbach array, wherein said conductor array comprises windings, wherein a first end of said windings terminates at a first termination and a second end of said windings terminates at a second termination.