As the size of rotors levitated by active magnetic bearings (AMBs) gets smaller, it becomes increasingly difficult to make laminated cores and rotors that have low eddy-current loss, and solid cores and rotors have to be substituted. Thus, accurate modeling of eddy-current loss is important for small-size AMB systems with solid cores and rotor. In this paper, we propose a new eddy-current loss model for AMB systems, based on the eddy-current brake concept. We show that the eddy-current loss in AMBs strongly depends on the arrangement and size of poles. We compare test results for hetero- and homopolar AMBs having nonlaminated cores and rotor to analytical findings based on the eddy-current loss model. The experimental results confirm that the eddy-current loss in small homopolar AMBs with nonlaminated cores and rotor can be greatly reduced by optimizing the arrangement and size of poles.
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