A new approach to the design of passive magnetic bearings using high-temperature superconductors

Abstract

A new approach to the design of passive magnetic bearings using hard type II superconductors and, particularly high-temperature superconductors, is proposed. New-type superconducting bearings are expected to have advantages of low force-displacement hysteresis and high ratios of the load capacity and the stiffness vs the bearing size and the weight. A prototype of the element of the proposed bearing is produced and tested. With the superconducting ring of 0.4-g mass, the 5.2-N load capacity was reached while the width of the hysteresis loop did not exceed 4%. The load capacity and the stiffness per unit surface area of the bearing were found to be 3.7 N/cm(2) and 12 N/mm/cm(2) correspondingly. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.