Simulation and Calculation on Rotation Loss of High Temperature Superconducting Bearings

Abstract High temperature superconducting (HTS) bearings are applied in flywheel energy storage and cryogenic liquid pump successfully due to self-stability and low-loss. Experiments and the current vector potential method (T-method) are generally used in the research of the rotation loss of superconducting bearings. Based on the B-H curve of the HTS deduced by the critical state model, the external magnetic field strength of the rotor system was obtained by using the finite element software. By means of numerical calculation, the rotation loss of HTS and the free decay curve were obtained. Furthermore, the friction coefficient of the designed HTS was calculated, which was 4.6 × 10−7. It was also found that the thickness of edge permanent magnet affected the magnetic field distribution on the surface of superconductors, and a more symmetrical magnetic field distribution can be generated by changing the thickness.