A hot-swap controller amplifier module for active magnetic bearings with supreme reliability – Electronic circuitry and error detection strategies

Active magnetic bearings (AMBs) represent an innovative contact free suspension technology with many advantages such as online adaptability of bearing stiffness and damping which makes AMBs especially suited for high speed rotor applications. Disadvantageous is the rather high system complexity which leads to a reduced overall reliability. To enhance AMB´s reliability a new AMB concept has been developed using independently working hot-swap controller amplifier modules (HCA) for bearing control. Within this work the HCA electronic and the developed fault diagnosis is described which allows a complete functional test of all components during system operation as well as a safe deactivation of the HCA even in case of a component fault. Measurement results demonstrate the functionality of the developed HCA prototype.