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Title: Research on ambient temperature passive magnetic bearings at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Conference ·
OSTI ID:632846

Research performed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on the equilibrium and stability of a new class of ambient-temperature passive bearing systems is described. The basic concepts involved are: (1) Stability of the rotating system is only achieved in the rotating state. That is, disengaging mechanical systems are used to insure stable levitation at rest (when Earnshaw`s theorem applies). (2) Stable levitation by passive magnetic elements can be achieved if the vector sum of the force derivatives of the several elements of the system is net negative (i.e. restoring) for axial, transverse, and tilt-type perturbations from equilibrium. To satisfy the requirements of (2) using only permanent magnet elements we have employed periodic ``Halbach arrays.`` These interact with passive inductive loaded circuits and act as stabilizers, with the primary forces arising from axially symmetric permanent-magnet elements. Stabilizers and other elements needed to create compact passive magnetic bearing systems have been constructed. Novel passive means for stabilizing classes of rotor-dynamic instabilities in such systems have also been investigated.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
632846
Report Number(s):
UCRL-JC-126208; CONF-9708143-; ON: DE98050860
Resource Relation:
Conference: MAG `97 industrial conference, exhibition and short course on magnetic bearings, Alexandria, VA (United States), 19-22 Aug 1997; Other Information: PBD: 1 Apr 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English