OF PM TUBULAR

ANALYSIS ACTUATORS

F. Marignetti, M. Scarano

Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Universita di Cassino

Via G. Di Biasio 43, 1-03043 Cassino (FR) Italy
Tel. : +39 0776 299686; Fax: +390776 3 108 12
e-mail: !llari~!letti.~.in~~.ul~cas~-it

A,bstract - An increase in the force-density of I -

Tubular linear PM actuators can only be achieved

by a proper dimensioning strategy. In particular,
the magnetic paths and the magnets' dimensions I

can be: optimised according to the mechanical load- Fig. I - Section of a tubular motor with surface mounted
and geometry-specifications. PMs

1. INTRODUCTION.

Many industrial applications employ high values of I

thrust. Traditionally, this task was accomplished by
pneumatic or hydraulic linear actuators, but the trend
in todaiy's industry is to substitute these with electrical
linear actuators. The adoption of an electrical linear or
tubular actuator yields increases in flexibility and
reliability, reduction of the volume, better control of
the kinematic trajectories, and the possibility of a
position control, Very often, the motion requested is
alternative (to position an arm, to move a tool or to
activate a mechanical pressure), and therefore the
solution of a linear actuator fixed to the ground is
\a
convenient both in the long stator- and in the long
secondary- configurations.
Different solutions are proposed in the technical
literature; in the paper a PM tubular actuator with
different secondary configurations will be analysed. I

The study of their complete models allow to point out
some variables that influence both the choice of the
fittest motor for the application and the design of the
actuator. Some of the results will be validated by the
FEM analysis.
2. MOTORCONSTRLJCTION.
In both configurations, the stator is built by a
superimposition of iron disks with circular coils of
windings inserted in between.
Fig. 2 - Tubular motor with buried PMs
There are two main configurations of the tubular secondary;
the first one consisting in annular magnets with radial
magnetisation slipped on to an iron tube (surface mounting
configuration, see fig.l);.the second one made up by a
superimposition of PM disks with axial magnetisation
inserted between iron elements with alternating directions
(buried magnets configuration, see fig.2).
The configuration of the magnetic paths suggests to include
this machine in the category of longitudinal flux machines
and the presence of permanent magnets on the moving tube
gives it the characteristic of a PM machine.

0-78013-5293-9/99$70.00 0 1999 IEEE 440

 3. OUTLINE OF MATHEMATICAL MODELS.
In the case n, odd, one has:
3.1 SURFACE MOUNTED MAGNETS
In the case of surface mounting, the value of the thrust
per pole in the position of maximum thrust can be
easily expressed as follows:
T = 4 z R n c I m - hBm, ,
6 2
[
with j=li-- n p +1 m i f O < x < r c --
np;l m-l)+b,

where R is the stator internal radius, n, the number of

coils per slot, I the current flowing in the windings, h,
the magnet's height, 6 the air-gap, and m is the
number of stator slots under half magnet.

3.2 BURIED
MAGNETS

The expression of the stator flux-density-distribution

in the case of buried magnets is peculiar, because of
B=
the anisotropy of the translator along the x direction.
Moreover, the flux-density distribution is varying with
the secondary position; this gives rise to for this
6 + x - h - r, [7'- - m - 1)
(7)

reason, the evaluation of the function B(x) is relevant. n p+ I n p +1

with j = -- m+l+-
If the number of slots per phase np is even, naming zp 2 2
the pole-pitch, r, = 5the slot pitch, I,,, the length of
nP
the magnets and in both cases, the thrust per pole has the same expression:
r 1
h = - __ll
2 2
-7 , (nP+1
- m - 1) , with the translatar
T = 2 r n m ( g ,+g, + g J .
If m 2 1, naming k=l,,,'r,:
(8)

in the position of maximum thrust, one has the k 6

f -+-+--- 1 m\
following flux-density distribution (see also fig.2):
B(x) =
U-1 ) n J PO 6
6
T I
with j=ltnA2-m+l if O < x < _ L - - - ;
2 2
($- m)nclpo
B(x) = (3)

B(x) = U- 1)ncIPo (4)

3.3 ANISOTROPY THRUST T A .
with j=nJ2-m+2+nJ2+1 if
An important feature of the motor with buried PMs is the
anisotropy thrust. To compute its trend with the
displacement z with respect to a fixed position, one has to
with the following relationship between m and 1,: apply the Previous algorithm to compute the flux-density
distribution. Imposing the solenoidality of the flux-density
m =i n t ( e + I ) . distribution along the cylindrical stator internal surface, it is
possible to write the equation
F(&z)=O;

44 1
whose solution allows to determine the flux-density Fig. 4 displays the value of the parameter k which yields the
distribution function B, and therefore to evaluate the maximum value of the thrust per pole, in correspondence of
energy W as a function of z, and the anisotropy thrust different values of the number of slots per pole.
To as follows:

1 1

0
0.01 0.05 0.1

Fig.4- Trend of the ratio k, vs &rp,relevantlo dtfJeerenlvalues of

the number of slots per pole

Finally, Fig. 5 shows that the most convenient choice of the

number of slots per pole is 3 (4 if the air-gap is sufficiently
dW small), that corresponds to make magnets about one third
T*(L)=2 R d -
dz long as the pole-pitch, independently from the ratio di/rp.

4. RESULTS.
600 L I
The presented expressions allow to point out the best 500
choice of dimensions for each application. In z,
+ 400
particular. it is possible to individuate some design CU
criteria oriented to maximise the ratio thrustholume 300
and the exploitation of the active parts. Particular €5200
interesl has to be paid to the dimensions of the PMs
100
with respect to the stator slot-pitch. As an example,
I
referring to a motor with 700 Ampereturns per slot, 0.01 0.03 0.05 0.07 0.09 0.11
and stator internal radius 0.01m. fig.3 shows the thrust
per pole in the case np=5 as a hnction of both the
parameter k and the ratio di/rp.Naming k*=k*(&rP, n& ’-

the value of the ratio k which maximises the thrust per
pole. i t is possible to demonstrate that, in order to
maximise the ratio of the total force with respect to
the length of the magnets, with a fixed slot-pitch, one
has to evaluate the ratio R=T,,,,I(k np), which is again
a function of the parameters #rP and np.
01--1
8JTP k
Fig.3 -Thrust per pole versus k and &rp relevant to
np=5
442
values of the number of slots per pole
5 . REFERENCES.
I11 Zhu Z.Q., Hor P:J., Howe D., Churn P.M., Rees-
Jones J., , “Design and Analysis of anovel Long-
stroke Tubular Permanent Magnet Linear Motor”
LDIA’98 Tokyo
PI Zhu Z.Q., Hor P:J., Howe D., Rees-Jones J., ”Novel
linear tubular brushless permanent magnet motors”
Proc. 8* Int Conf. On Electrical Machines and
drives IEE pp.91-95,1997.
131 Howe D., Zhu Z.Q.,”status of Linear Permanent
Magnet and Reluctance Motor Drives in Europe”
LDIA’98 Tokyo
[41 Isastia V., Meo S., Scarano M. “A new formulation
of the mathematical model of induction machines by
means of window functions” ICEM ’94 5-8
September Paris
151 Boldea I.,Nasar S.A.,”Linear electric actuators and
generators”, Cambridge University Press, 1997