Analysis of torque characteristics according to non-uniform air gaps of coaxial magnetic gear

Recently, studies on magnetic gears have been actively conducted. Magnetic gears can replace mechanical gears as they can perform noncontact power transfer, thereby minimizing loss and damage from friction. A magnetic gear has two rotors with different numbers of poles because of its structural characteristics. For a rotor with a relatively lower number of poles, large torque ripples occur owing to the increase in the permeance variation within the air gaps. Other electric equipment studies conducted thus far have primarily changed the shape of iron core to reduce torque ripples. However, since the magnetic gear has two air gaps, it is necessary to identify the relationship between the two gaps and the ripple before changing the shape of the iron core. In this paper, factors that affect torque ripple are classified and analyzed by examining the magnetic flux density of two air gaps, to propose an air gap structure that benefits the design of magnetic gears.