Modeling and Validation of the Radial Force Capability of Bearingless Hysteresis Drives

The hysteresis motor technology combined with the magnetic suspension makes bearingless hysteresis drives very appealing for high- and ultra-high-speed applications. Such systems exploit the magnetic behavior of the rotor material to achieve mechanical torque, but the hysteresis can significantly influence the magnetic suspension performance. The literature so far has focused mainly on the motor investigation. On the bearing side, the design and the performance assessment have been carried out by neglecting the hysteresis phenomenon of the rotor material. In those cases, the hysteresis of the rotor material is negligible and hence it slightly affects the force generation. In a wider perspective, this paper intends to investigate the force capability of electromagnetic actuators based on materials of large magnetic hysteresis behavior. To this purpose, the proposed numerical model, based on the finite element method, accounts for the magnetic hysteresis. The experimental results confirm the validity of the modeling approach, thus providing a useful tool for the design as well as the investigation of such systems