High Torque Bearingless Flux-Switching Slice Drive

This paper presents the development of a bearingless flux-switching slice drive. Belonging to the bearingless drive family, all active and passive suspension forces are generated in the same radial plane and with the same electromechanical components which generate the motor torque. This research had the goal of improving the torque capabilities of the drive while still maintaining adequate passive slice-rotor stabilization. Optimization goals included the increment of the air gap and the motor torque increase, two opposing demands. A working prototype was built from the optimized simulation model. The prototype’s torque and suspension force performances were measured and compared to the FEM simulation results. Additionally, a new control model is proposed for the bearing force generation.