Analysis and Control of a Novel Power Electronics Converter for Active Magnetic Bearing Drive

Magnetic bearing has been developed for high-speed rotational machinery and its power electronics drive is its key technology. In this paper, a novel converter with reduced switches for magnetic bearing drive is described. The principle of the magnetic bearing and its test rig were introduced and graphically illustrated at first. Then, based on the current unidirectional and phase-leg sharing principles, the novel converter topology for magnetic bearing drive together with the current control functions is introduced, including the steady state and dynamic performance. Less power electronics devices are required for this converter in comparison with conventional magnetic bearing drives. Simulation and experimental results have successfully validated the current control capability of magnetic bearing with the proposed converter. With the novel converter and the controller, magnetic bearing can deliver superior levitation and dynamic control performance. In the rotational test, the magnetic bearing has been controlled with position error less than 20% of the air gap up to 24 000 r/min on the test rig.