Active magnetic bearing apparatus
View Patent ↗An active magnetic bearing apparatus for supporting a rotor of a rotary machine comprises an axial magnetic bearing unit and a radial magnetic bearing unit mounted directly to one another. One of the axial magnetic bearing unit and the radial magnetic bearing unit is mounted to a support for attachment to a housing of the rotary machine.
1. An active magnetic bearing apparatus for supporting a rotor of a rotary machine, the apparatus comprising:
a support frame fixedly connected to a housing of the rotary machine;
an axial magnetic bearing unit for supporting an axial load of the rotor; and
a radial magnetic bearing unit for supporting a radial load of the rotor, the radial magnetic bearing unit mounted directly to the axial magnetic bearing unit, wherein a first bearing unit of the axial magnetic bearing unit and the radial magnetic bearing unit are mounted to the support frame; and
a fluid cooling channel for cooling the axial magnetic bearing unit and the radial magnetic bearing unit, the fluid cooling channel extending transversely through the active magnetic bearing apparatus and extending between the axial magnetic bearing unit and the radial magnetic bearing unit.
2. The active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises one or more shielding components for electromagnetically shielding the support frame and electromagnetic components of the axial magnetic bearing unit and/or the radial magnetic bearing unit from one another.
3. The active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the one or more shielding components comprise a shielding frame which at least partially surrounds the electromagnetic components of the radial magnetic bearing unit.
4. The active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the one or more shielding components comprise an auxiliary electromagnetic coil which at least partially surrounds primary electromagnetic bearing components of the axial magnetic bearing unit and which is configured to generate an auxiliary magnetic field which opposes a primary magnetic field generated by the primary electromagnetic bearing components, whereby the auxiliary magnetic field compensates for the primary magnetic field.
5. The active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the shielding frame is an aluminum frame.
6. The active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a position sensor for determining the axial or radial position of the rotor.
7. The active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid cooling channel extends through or adjacent one of the axial magnetic bearing unit and the radial magnetic bearing unit.
8. The active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising a fluid mover for generating a flow of a cooling fluid through the cooling channel.
9. The active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the axial magnetic bearing unit and the radial magnetic bearing unit are mounted to a first side of the support and (a) external electrical connectors for the axial magnetic bearing unit and the radial magnetic bearing unit are provided on an opposing second side of the support and/or (b) the apparatus further comprises an auxiliary mechanical bearing unit mounted to the second side of the support.
10. The active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the auxiliary mechanical bearing unit is a ball bearing unit.
11. The active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a second bearing unit of the axial magnetic bearing unit and the radial magnetic bearing unit are mounted to the support by way of the first bearing unit.
12. A rotary machine comprising:
a housing;
an active magnetic bearing apparatus arranged in the housing and configured to support a rotor of the rotary machine, the active magnetic bearing apparatus including:
a support frame fixedly connected to the housing;
an axial magnetic bearing unit for supporting an axial load of the rotor;
a radial magnetic bearing unit for supporting a radial load of the rotor, the radial magnetic bearing unit mounted directly to the axial magnetic bearing unit, wherein a first bearing unit of the axial magnetic bearing unit and the radial magnetic bearing unit are mounted to the support frame;
and a fluid cooling channel for cooling the axial magnetic bearing unit and the radial magnetic bearing unit, the fluid cooling channel extending transversely through the active magnetic bearing apparatus and extending between the axial magnetic bearing unit and the radial magnetic bearing unit.
13. An active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the apparatus comprises one or more shielding components for electromagnetically shielding the support frame and electromagnetic components of the axial magnetic bearing unit or the radial magnetic bearing unit from one another.
14. An active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the one or more shielding components comprise a shielding frame which at least partially surrounds the electromagnetic components of the radial magnetic bearing unit.
15. An active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the one or more shielding components comprise an auxiliary electromagnetic coil which at least partially surrounds primary electromagnetic bearing components of the axial magnetic bearing unit and which is configured to generate an auxiliary magnetic field which opposes a primary magnetic field generated by the primary electromagnetic bearing components, whereby the auxiliary magnetic field compensates for the primary magnetic field.
16. An active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the apparatus comprises a position sensor for determining the axial or radial position of the rotor.
17. An active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the fluid cooling channel extends through or adjacent one of the axial magnetic bearing unit and the radial magnetic bearing unit.
18. An active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 17 further comprising a fluid mover for generating a flow of a cooling fluid through the cooling channel.
19. An active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the axial magnetic bearing unit and the radial magnetic bearing unit are mounted to a first side of the support and (a) external electrical connectors for the axial magnetic bearing unit and the radial magnetic bearing unit are provided on an opposing second side of the support and/or (b) the apparatus further comprises an auxiliary mechanical bearing unit mounted to the second side of the support.
20. The active magnetic bearing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein a second bearing unit of the axial magnetic bearing unit and the radial magnetic bearing are mounted to the support by way of the first bearing unit.