Large DC Electromagnet for Semi-Industrial Thermomagnetic Processing of Nanocrystalline Ribbon

A large dc electromagnet with a 200 mm long air gap was designed, constructed, and tested. Analytical calculations provided the first approximation of required parameters. The design was refined with the aid of finite element modeling. Thermomagnetic processing required nominal flux density level to be 0.35 T. It was validated on a prototype that the average flux density in the air gap exceeded this value. The magnetizing coils were designed to be cooled by natural air convection. Despite a large size (~1900 kg), the electromagnet was designed to consume less than 2.5 kW and could be energized from a single-phase mains socket.