Majmaah University

College of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

EE 490
Eddy current Motors

Dr. El Manâa BARHOUMI

Majmaah University College of Engineering EE 490 Academic Year 2016-2017 1

 Eddy-Current Principles
Example 1:
A copper disc rotates between the poles of an electromagnet.
If the electromagnet is not traversed by a current, the disc rotates freely.
If the electromagnet is traversed by a current, the disc is braked and heated.
This phenomenon is called: Eddy current

Copper disc
Axis of rotation in rotation

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 Eddy-Current Principles

Example 2:
• A copper cube rotates between the poles of an electromagnet.
• It turns if it is not subjected to the action of the electromagnet.
• The cube stops immediately if a current flows through the electromagnet.

Copper disc in rotation

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 Eddy-Current Principles
Example 3:
• Eddy currents (I, red) induced in a conductive metal plate (C) as it moves to right
under a magnet (N).
• The magnetic field (B, green) is directed down through the plate.
• The increasing field at the leading edge of the magnet (left) induces a
counterclockwise current,
• which by Lenz's law creates its own magnetic field (left blue arrow) directed up,
which opposes the magnet's field, producing a retarding force.
• Similarly, at the trailing edge of the magnet (right), a clockwise current and
downward counter field is created (right blue arrow) also producing a retarding
force.

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 Eddy-Current Principles
• Eddy currents also called Foucault currents are loops of electrical current
induced by a changing the magnetic field in the conductor, due to Faraday’s
law of induction.
• Eddy currents flow in closed loops within conductors, in planes perpendicular
to the magnetic field. They can be induced within nearby stationary
conductors by a time-varying magnetic field created by an AC electromagnet,
or by relative motion between a magnet and a nearby conductor.
• The magnitude of the current in a given loop is proportional to the strength
of the magnetic field, the area of the loop, and the rate of change of flux, and
inversely proportional to the resistivity of the material.

Eddy currents are induced currents which arise, for example, in a conductor in
motion in a constant magnetic field or else in an immobile metallic solid subjected
to a variation in magnetic field.
Any variation of magnetic flux passing through the metal mass produces eddy
currents.

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 Eddy-Current Principles
• By Lenz’s law, an eddy current creates a magnetic field that opposes a change
in the magnetic field that created it, and thus eddy currents react back on the
source of the magnetic field.

• This effect is employed in eddy current brakes which are used to stop rotating
power tools quickly when they are turned off.

• The current flowing through the resistance of the conductor also dissipates
energy as heat in the material.
• Eddy currents are a cause of energy loss in alternating current (AC) inductors,
transformers, electric motors and generators and other AC machinery,
requiring special construction such as laminated magnetic cores or ferrite cores
to minimize them.

• Eddy currents are also used to heat objects in induction heating furnaces and
equipment, and to detect cracks and flaws in metal parts using eddy current
testing instruments.

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 Eddy Current Field Depth of Penetration & Density

• Eddy Currents concentrate near to the surface adjacent to an excitation coil and their
strength decreases with distance from the coil
• Eddy Current density decreases exponentially with depth. This phenomenon is
known as the skin effect

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 Eddy Current Field Depth of Penetration & Density
• The standard depth of penetration is described as the following function:

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 Advantages
• Eddy current clutch available for all sizes (kW to MW)
• Rugged construction
• Easy maintenance
• Controlled acceleration
• Soft start and high starting torque
• High overload capacity

Disadvantages

• Eddy current are the Predecessors of variable frequency

drive
• Kind of Outdated or less redundant technology
• Rarely used in new installations
• Less efficiency when speed adjusted
• Poor cooling
• More heating

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 Eddy-Current Drive Output Torque
• The output torque is essentially equal to the input torque since friction,
windage, and inertial torque are usually negligible.

• As shown in Figure 2, with a fixed amount of excitation applied to the coil, the
output speed of the clutch will vary as the load is increased or decreased (points
1 and 2 of the torque speed curve).

• The critical aspect of an adjustable speed drive is its ability to maintain a set
speed with a varying load.
• By varying the level of excitation to the coil, the amount of linkage effect and,
consequently, the amount of torque transmitted from the ac motor to the output
shaft can be varied. (See points 1 and 2 of the torque-speed curve in Figure 3.)

• Varying the output shaft torque enables the adjustable speed drive to maintain a
set speed with a varying load.

• Torque transmission is accomplished magnetically without physical contact of

members. Consequently, there is no wear to require adjustment and replacement
of parts.

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 Eddy-Current Drive Output Torque

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 Eddy-Current Drive Output Torque

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 Speed Control
• The eddy-current driver shown in Figure 4 (the input member as previously
indicated), is usually driven by an ac motor. Output speed is maintained by a
tachometer generator of the permanent magnet brushless type, mounted
integrally with the output shaft, which provides a signal proportional to the
output speed.

• This output is compared with a settable speed reference voltage signal, and
the difference error is fed into a regulator/controller controlling the level of
excitation to the clutch coil.

• This level of excitation can be adjusted or corrected to realign the actual

speed to the set speed when the load is varied.
• The degree of accuracy of realigning the output speed to the set speed is a
measure of the performance of the regulator. Power to the coil is typically in
the range of two percent of the total drive power requirements. The
tachometer, which provides speed reference feedback, allows typical
regulation of onehalf to one percent. Eddy-current drives offer a 34:1 speed
range and can transmit up to 250 percent of the rated torque intermittently

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 Speed Control

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 Applications
Eddy-current drives have been in operation for the last 70 years and have been and still
continue to be used in industrial applications where controlling the speed is the
primary requirement.
Their application is mostly found in the following industries:
• Metal forming/stamping process
• Asphalt/aggregation material handling
• Conveyors
• Paper
• Fans, pumps, and blowers
• Packaging
• Cement
• Winders
• Processing machines

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