Numerical analysis of a new hybrid superconducting magnetic bearing flywheel system

Abstract

High temperature superconducting magnetic bearings have several significant advantages over conventional magnetic bearings. However, the low stiffness, low damping, flux creep and flux flow make it difficult to realize a flywheel energy storage system using superconducting magnetic bearings. In order to deal with these problems, a hybrid superconducting magnetic bearing system which consists of superconducting magnetic bearings, permanent magnetic bearings, and active magnetic bearings has been developed. In this paper, the magnetization model based on Bean’s critical state model is applied to evaluate the levitation forces. By defining the B(H) magnetization curves of superconductors, numerical analyses of superconducting magnetic bearings can be done by means of commercial finite element method software. The levitation forces of superconducting magnetic bearings in zero-field cooling process were calculated and agreed well with measured data. The axial magnetic forces and stiffness of axial permanent ma...