Modeling and Analysis of Rail Eddy Current Brake With Ring Structure Winding and AC Excitation

In this article, the magnetic analysis of a rail eddy current brake (ECB) with ring structure winding and ac excitation is presented. Differing from the ECBs with dc excitation, the proposed ECB can generate electricity and reduce rail heating. First, the structure and working principle are described. Second, the three-dimensional (3-D) analytical model (AM) is established considering the nonlinear permeability of the secondary rail and the transverse end effect. Third, the accuracy of AM is verified by the finite-element method and experimental results. Furthermore, the ECB's braking force and power characteristics are analyzed based on the finite-element analysis. Finally, four different winding schemes possibly suitable for ECBs are compared to determine the superiority of the ring structure winding.