Design, Analysis and Realisation of a Magnetic Gear Prototype with Experimental Validation

Since years '80s of last century magnetic gears have been considered as possible power transmission systems, in substitution of classical mechanical transmissions. They are able to transmit torque, between two mechanical axes, in a contactless way, through the interaction of two coaxial permanent magnets rotors with a set of ferromagnetic poles. Several advantages can be achieved from the physical isolation between moving parts, as the absence of lubrication, no mechanical fatigue, the reduction of noise, wearing and need of maintenance, as well as the integrated overload protection function. A test bench for experimental analysis of the magneto-mechanical performance and the dynamics of a magnetic gear prototype has been devised, designed and realised. Magnetic gears have been equipped with pick-up coils to measure the magnetic flux waveforms in order to compare them with simulation analyses. Details about the test bench, its drives and controls and experimental results obtained by tests are presented and discussed.