Design and transient behavior of magnetic gears

The torque density is a key factor for magnetic gears. To obtain maximum torque density, the design principle of magnetic gears is proposed and the maximum transmitting torque is investigated under different combinations of the inner and outer permanent magnets (PM) rotor pole pairs. The research proves that the maximum transmitting torque and the minimum torque ripple can be obtained only when the ratio of the outer and inner PM pole pair numbers is fractional. Then, the optimal selection of the span ratio and thickness of magnetic blocks in the stationary modulating ring is investigated to obtain the maximum torque. Meanwhile, analyses of the losses of various parts in the magnetic gear show that the loss of the PMs is about 70% of the total losses. Therefore, the method of dividing the PM into several pieces along the circumferential direction is employed to reduce the PM loss, which makes the PM loss reduced by 73%. Additionally, the transient behavior of the magnetic gear is analyzed, indicating that the lower torsional stiffness is the main reason for oscillations during transient changes in speed and load. To suppress oscillations due to transients, damper windings are employed and the transient time and the maximum oscillation amplitude are reduced by 25% and 20%, respectively.