In a free public seminar at 3:30 PM on April 1, in room 1115 of the Wisconsin Energy Institute, Electrical and Computer Engineering Assistant Professor Eric Severson will speak about research into magnetically levitated, bearingless electric machines.
Abstract: We each interact with no fewer than a dozen different electric motors every day. These electromechanical devices have become fundamental to our existence, pumping the water we drink, generating the electricity we use, aiding in heating and cooling our homes, and even providing our means for transportation. Electric motors are estimated to consume 45% of global electric energy, making them the single biggest consumer of electric power and an important technology to target for efficiency improvements in an effort to decrease our global energy footprint. Typically the first point of failure in electric motors, and a source of significant energy loss, is the bearing system used to support the motor's shaft.
This talk will investigate using magnetic levitation to eliminate bearings from motor systems and create ultra-efficient, high speed, "bearingless" motors. This technology is specifically targeted towards overcoming obstacles in bearingless motor technology so that it can be used in large systems across the industrial and energy sectors where it has the potential to offer tremendous energy savings, size reductions, and intelligent, self-monitoring capabilities. A new type of motor winding technology, referred to as "dual purpose no voltage" windings, is proposed to overcome critical challenges that limit the efficiency and manufacturability of legacy bearingless motor systems. The proposed windings are able to re-use the electric motor's coils to create magnetic levitation forces on the shaft in addition to torque. The end result is a highly integrated, electromechanical device that is easy to manufacture and uses little raw material.