LINEAR ELECTRIC MOTOR WITH PM EXCITATION FOR A FREIGHT MAGNETOLEVITATION PLATFORM
The paper presents the design of a traction electric drive based on a linear synchronous motor with permanent magnets (PM) excitation. The electric drive is a part of the demonstration mock-up and is intended for the linear movement of a freight platform that is suspended in the air by means of the magnetic field. The drive performs a smooth movement of the platform with a required speed, platform stop, and changing of the direction of the movement. The motor inductor with permanent magnets is fixed on the platform whereas the motor stator is placed on the ground being supplied with power through а semiconductor converter. The stator consists of the independent modules that are sequentially connected to the converter as the inductor moves. Commutation of the modules and commutation the windings inside the active module is performed by the signals from some optical sensors attached to the inductor. Modular design of the motor stator and sectional feeding of its windings from the same converter allow to create a levitation mock-up with an arbitrary length of the motion path. At that all the technical solutions adopted in the drive design are directed to reducing of the drive production cost.