Design of a permanent/electromagnetic magnetic bearing-controlled rotor system

This study proposes design procedures for the permanent-magnet-biased magnetic bearings (PEMBs) in rotor systems. Many aspects of designing magnetic bearings are discussed, e.g. the selection of a permanent magnet material, dimensions of electromagnets and permanent magnets, gap length, load capacity and maximum Ampere-turns. Linearization and DC current driver are the two constraints for determining feasible designs. According to an analytical model with a rigid body assumption for the rotor-bearing system, a decentralized output feedback control algorithm is employed to control this inherently unstable magnetic suspension rotor system. Experimental results indicate that the controlled rotor performs well at rotor speeds up to 12,000 rpm. (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.