Power losses vs. mechanical load of an active magnetic bearing: A finite element method approach
Active magnetic bearings are a novel solution for supporting rotating shafts. Thanks to the electromagnets and their ability to apply forces without any mechanical contact needed, they enable frictionless rotation while eliminating wear. Although mechanical friction is absent in such an element, the...
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Balkan Scientific Centre
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Tribology and Materials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tribomat.net/archive/2025/2025-02/TM-2025-02-04.pdf |
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| author | Vasileios Menelaos Koufopanos Andreas Andrikopoulos Pantelis Nikolakopoulos |
| author_facet | Vasileios Menelaos Koufopanos Andreas Andrikopoulos Pantelis Nikolakopoulos |
| author_sort | Vasileios Menelaos Koufopanos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Active magnetic bearings are a novel solution for supporting rotating shafts. Thanks to the electromagnets and their ability to apply forces without any mechanical contact needed, they enable frictionless rotation while eliminating wear. Although mechanical friction is absent in such an element, there are other loss mechanisms to consider, such as the ohmic losses on each electromagnet's coils, as well as the iron losses caused by the alternating magnetic field on the rotor and, occasionally, on the stator. In this paper, the effects of the bearing's length, the air gap and the bias current, both on the bearing's mechanical load capacity and on the ohmic and iron losses, are examined. A series of values for the aforementioned parameters is tested using a 2D finite element transient model, which calculates the bearing's mechanical load and iron losses, in addition to analytical calculations for the ohmic losses. Then, the control current required for a specific mechanical load is calculated for different bearing lengths and magnetic air gaps. Considering the ohmic and iron losses for each case, a value for the air gap and the bearing's length is selected to achieve the required load while the losses are minimised. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-358ed54abc4d43b4ae26d6a462053368 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2812-9717 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Balkan Scientific Centre |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tribology and Materials |
| spelling | doaj-art-358ed54abc4d43b4ae26d6a4620533682025-08-20T02:36:53ZengBalkan Scientific CentreTribology and Materials2812-97172025-06-0142909910.46793/tribomat.2025.011Power losses vs. mechanical load of an active magnetic bearing: A finite element method approachVasileios Menelaos Koufopanos0https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7124-5391Andreas Andrikopoulos1https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2507-6537Pantelis Nikolakopoulos2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0944-6653University of Patras, Patras, GreeceUniversity of Patras, Patras, GreeceUniversity of Patras, Patras, GreeceActive magnetic bearings are a novel solution for supporting rotating shafts. Thanks to the electromagnets and their ability to apply forces without any mechanical contact needed, they enable frictionless rotation while eliminating wear. Although mechanical friction is absent in such an element, there are other loss mechanisms to consider, such as the ohmic losses on each electromagnet's coils, as well as the iron losses caused by the alternating magnetic field on the rotor and, occasionally, on the stator. In this paper, the effects of the bearing's length, the air gap and the bias current, both on the bearing's mechanical load capacity and on the ohmic and iron losses, are examined. A series of values for the aforementioned parameters is tested using a 2D finite element transient model, which calculates the bearing's mechanical load and iron losses, in addition to analytical calculations for the ohmic losses. Then, the control current required for a specific mechanical load is calculated for different bearing lengths and magnetic air gaps. Considering the ohmic and iron losses for each case, a value for the air gap and the bearing's length is selected to achieve the required load while the losses are minimised.https://www.tribomat.net/archive/2025/2025-02/TM-2025-02-04.pdfactive magnetic bearingsohmic lossesiron lossesmechanical load capacityfinite element method |
| spellingShingle | Vasileios Menelaos Koufopanos Andreas Andrikopoulos Pantelis Nikolakopoulos Power losses vs. mechanical load of an active magnetic bearing: A finite element method approach Tribology and Materials active magnetic bearings ohmic losses iron losses mechanical load capacity finite element method |
| title | Power losses vs. mechanical load of an active magnetic bearing: A finite element method approach |
| title_full | Power losses vs. mechanical load of an active magnetic bearing: A finite element method approach |
| title_fullStr | Power losses vs. mechanical load of an active magnetic bearing: A finite element method approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Power losses vs. mechanical load of an active magnetic bearing: A finite element method approach |
| title_short | Power losses vs. mechanical load of an active magnetic bearing: A finite element method approach |
| title_sort | power losses vs mechanical load of an active magnetic bearing a finite element method approach |
| topic | active magnetic bearings ohmic losses iron losses mechanical load capacity finite element method |
| url | https://www.tribomat.net/archive/2025/2025-02/TM-2025-02-04.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vasileiosmenelaoskoufopanos powerlossesvsmechanicalloadofanactivemagneticbearingafiniteelementmethodapproach AT andreasandrikopoulos powerlossesvsmechanicalloadofanactivemagneticbearingafiniteelementmethodapproach AT pantelisnikolakopoulos powerlossesvsmechanicalloadofanactivemagneticbearingafiniteelementmethodapproach |