Magnetic suspension system for use in satellites - includes low power consumption control circuit providing correcting current to four positioning coils

摘要

The magnetic suspension system includes a stator and a rotor positioned coaxially forming an annular air gap between them. For each axis the relative positions of the stator and rotor are detected by a capacitive or inductive sensor. This information is used to generate the error signal representing the difference between the actual position and a reference position. Control signals are generated according to the value of the difference signal and applied to the two coils wound on one of the two axes passing at right angles to the common axis of the rotor and stator. In this way the coils are excited where the air gap is too small in such a way as to reduce the magnetic flux there. The control system only uses limited amounts of power, and does not require a symmetrical power source as previous systems do.