Shock Resistance Design of High-Speed Maglev Motor–Stability Considerations and Quantitative Shock Tests

Abstract

Large external disturbances (such as shock loads) can cause contact between the rotor and touchdown bearings (TDBs). Hence, maintaining the stability of systems with active magnetic bearings (AMBs) is a major challenge for mobile applications such as on-board steam turbines or vehicle turbochargers. In this paper, two key factors (power bandwidth and bi-stable characteristic) that affect the shock stability of AMB-rotor systems are considered in the design of a high-speed maglev motor. Insufficient power bandwidth can induce current saturation leading to destabilization, while a bi-stable characteristic can cause persistent contact between the rotor and TDBs under external disturbances. Theoretical analyzes and criteria are provided, and the influence of these two factors is investigated by base shock experiments of a high-speed maglev motor. These experiments involved mounting a high-speed maglev motor on a shock table then subjecting it to shock loads of different amplitudes. The designed motor continued to operate stably under shock loads up to 20 G, verifying the correctness of the stability considerations.