Progress in development of high capacity magnetic HTS bearings

✍ Scribed by P. Kummeth; W. Nick; H.-W. Neumueller

• Book ID: 103890758
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2005
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 514 KB
• Volume: 426-431
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0921-4534
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physc.2005.02.074

✦ Synopsis

HTS magnetic bearings are inherently stable without an active feedback system. They provide low frictional losses, no wear and allow operation at high rotational speed without lubrication. So they are very promising for use in motors, generators and turbines. We designed and constructed an HTS radial bearing for use with a 400 kW HTS motor. It consists of alternating axially magnetized permanent magnet rings on the rotor and a segmented YBCO stator. Stator cooling is performed by liquid nitrogen, the temperature of the stator can be adjusted by varying the pressure in the cryogenic vessel. At 68 K maximum radial forces of more than 3.7 kN were found. These results range within the highest radial bearing capacities reported worldwide. The encouraging results lead us to develop a large heavy load HTS radial bearing. Currently a high magnetic gradient HTS bearing for a 4 MVA synchronous HTS generator is under construction.