Title: Comparative Study of Electromagnetic braking system with conventional braking

systems

Student Name: Ahsan Abdul Rehman

Student Number: 1610170

Module Tutor: Shimna Shafeek

BEng (Hons) in MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

___________________________________________________________________

Level HE6, UG Level 3

Module Title: Engineering Design and Projects.

Module Number: AME6001

1. Types of Braking Systems:

Eddy current brakes are of two types:

(i) Linear Eddy Current brakes (ii) Rotational Eddy current brakes

The movement of the metal through magnetic field of electromagnets creates an eddy current in the
discs, this eddy current produces an opposing force, resists the rotation of the disc, providing braking
force. The braking force produced, when electric current is passed through electromagnets is termed
as LINEAR EDDY CURRENT BRAKE

French physicist “Foucault”, experiment explains the principle of this brake system. The linear eddy
current brake consists of a magnetic center with coils positioned along the rail, which are being
magnetized alternating both south as well as north magnetic poles. This magnet does not touch the
rail, as with the magnetic brake, because it is fixed at small distance from the rail. It does not move
along the rail, exerting only a vertical pull on the rail. When the magnet moves with the rail, it develops
a non-stationary magnetic field in the head of the rail, which then develops electrical tension, and
causes eddy current. These disturb the magnetic field in such a way that the magnetic force towards
the opposite direction of the movement thus creating a horizontal force which works in opposite
direction of movement of the magnets.(1)

Figure – Linear Eddy Current Brake (Commons.wikimedia.org, 2017)

ROTATIONAL EDDY CURRENT BRAKE

When Alternating current is allowed to flow in the coil at a set required frequency for the test involved.

A dynamic expanding and collapsing magnetic field forms in and around the coil as the alternating
current flows through the coil. When a conductor is placed magnetic field, electromagnetic induction
will occur and eddy current will be generated in the material. Eddy current flowing in the material will
generate their secondary magnetic field which will oppose the coil’s primary magnetic field according.
to the Lenz’s Law, eddy current flow in a circular path as shown in figure below.

Figure - Rotational Eddy current braking system (Commons.wikimedia.org, 2017)

THEORY OF OPERATION

 Eddy current brakes develop torque by the direct magnetic linking of the rotor to the stator.
 This linking generates eddy currents in the driven rotor.
 Eddy current brakes must have a slip between the rotor and the stator to generate torque.
 An eddy current brake having an electromagnetic pole and the rotor is positioned in close to the
stator with an air gap between them.
2. Working Principle:

Magnetic brakes work according to Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction. According to this law,
whenever a conductor cuts magnetic lines of forces, an emf is induced in the conductor, the magnitude
of which is proportional to the strength of the magnetic field is proportional to the strength of magnetic
field and the speed of conductor. If the conductor is a disc, there will be circulatory currents i.e. eddy
currents in the disc. According to Lenz’s law the direction of current is in such a way as to oppose the
cause, i.e. movement of the disk.

Figure - Principle of the linear eddy current brake (Commons.wikimedia.org, 2017)

Magnetic resistance works by passing a spinning metallic disk through a magnetic field. The
magnetic field provides resistance to the spinning disk thus slowing it’s rotation. The amount of
resistance can be increased or decreased by varying the strength of the magnetic field. Field
strength is controlled by changing either the power of the magnet or the distance between the
magnet and the spinning disk.
Resistance formula: Resistance is determined by three factors:

1. Disk RPM
2. Magnet Power
3. Distance

The three factors are expressed as a ratio of one to one to one squared:

RPM : MAGNET POWER : DISTANCE : RESISTANCE

The distance value is the most important part of the formula because it’s value is squared. This
means that very small changes in distance makes very large changes in the resistance level.

Figure -