Analytical Analysis of an Adjustable-Speed Permanent Magnet Eddy-Current Coupling With a Non-Rotary Mechanical Flux Adjuster

This paper proposes an adjustable-speed permanent magnet eddy-current coupling with a non-rotary mechanical flux adjuster (MFA) to regulate the speeds of large pump and fan for energy saving. The slip speed of the proposed coupling can be adjusted by shifting MFA along the axial direction. The structural feature and operation principle of the coupling are illustrated and addressed. A magnetic equivalent circuit model is established for analyzing the electromagnetic characteristics of the coupling efficiently. The air-gap magnetic fields, eddy-current densities, and torque-slip characteristics are investigated under different shifting distances of MFA, which reveals the fairly good torque regulation effects. The torque regulation range reaches to about 90% of the maximum torque, which indicates that the coupling can achieve a large speed regulation range by using the relatively simple approach.