Analysis of Passive Magnetic Bearings for Kinetic Energy Storage Systems

This paper describes a passive magnetic bearing system intended to be used in a flywheel. The upper bearing consists of two rings of permanent magnets operating as a radial bearing. The lower bearing consists of high temperature superconductors in the stator and a permanent magnet cylindrical disk in the rotor, which contributes to the radial and axial stability of the system. Those bearings have been tested in an experimental rig specially designed for it. Measurements of the radial and axial forces, both static and dynamic, for different gaps are presented in this paper