Magnomatics Limited

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Magnomatics Limited. is a British technology company based in Sheffield, UK. The Company is a world leader in the development and manufacture of magnetically-geared electromechanical devices, principally high torque direct drive motors. The company's novel high torque motors, generators and contact free transmissions are suitable for a wide range of drive train applications where high reliability, low maintenance and high efficiency systems are required. The Pseudo Direct Drive or PDD integrates a magnetic transmission within a motor or generator to give a compact, efficient, high torque density electrical machine. The magnetic continuously variable magnetic transmission, m CVT, is an electrically controlled variable magnetic transmission that can be used as a power split device within a blended parallel hybrid vehicle.
History
The company was founded in 2006 as a spin-out company from the University of Sheffield's Electrical Machines and Drives group. The company was established to commercialise research by Dr Kais Atallah and Professor David Howe based around magnetic transmission systems, high-torque electrical machines and electromechanical actuators and dampers.
In March 2010 the company was awarded the New Energy Pioneer at the Bloomberg New Energy Finance Summit. In 2011 the company appointed new chairman Dr. Michael Lloyd, formerly President of Rolls Royce Gas Turbine Operations.
Investors
Magnomatics is a privately owned limited company jointly owned by the founders, staff members and two investors: Fusion IP plc and White Rose Technology Seedcorn Fund.
Technology
Most of Magnomatics’ technology is based on a magnetic gear which is equivalent to a planetary gear but has no contacting parts. The torque is transmitted through the magnetic field between two permanent magnet arrays.
Magnetic Transmission
This passive fixed-ratio transmission gearing offers high reliability compared to traditional mechanical gears due to the lack of contacting parts. There are virtually no friction losses giving the possibility of high efficiencies. Maintenance requirements are often reduced compared to traditional mechanical gears as there are no wearing parts and no oil lubrication is required. Unique features of this product include no lubrication, the possibility of transmission through a barrier, an automatically resetting torque fuse (where the gear harmlessly slips if an overload torque is applied) and reduction of drivetrain pulsations due to the inherent torsional compliance.
PDD - Pseudo Direct Drive
The PDD integrates a magnetic transmission within a permanent magnet motor or generator to achieve a high torque density machine. Due to the internal magnetic gearing which converts the high torque at the output/input shaft to a lower torque, the windings operate with a low current density, reducing copper losses, thus improving efficiency and reducing cooling requirements. The PDD can be used to replace a conventional motor and mechanical gearbox combination when increased reliability and low maintenance are desirable. The machine has in-built torque overload protection and is controlled using standard power electronic converters.
m</I>CVT - Magnetic Continuously Variable Transmission
Magnetic continuously variable transmission ( m CVT) is a variable magnetic transmission which gives an electrically controllable gear ratio. It can act as a power split device and can match a fixed input speed from a prime-mover to a variable load by importing/exporting electrical power through a variator path. The m CVT is of particular interest as an efficient power-split device for blended parallel hybrid vehicles, but also could have future applications in renewable energy, marine propulsion and industrial drive sectors.
Applications
The magnetic transmission, PDD and m CVT devices can be utilised in a broad range of sectors including renewable energy, marine systems, aerospace, hybrid and electric vehicles, oil & gas, rail, defence and industrial automation.
Magnomatics’ electromechanical design services develop a broad range of products including generic rotary and linear electric machines, electromagnetic actuators and its proprietary range of magnetic transmissions, motors and generators.
See Also
*Continuously variable transmission (CVT)
*Finite element analysis (FEA)
*Computer-aided engineering (CAE)

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