Practical adaptation in bulk superconducting magnetic bearing applications

Lifting capacities greater than 41 N/cm2 (60 psi) at 77 K have been achieved using a combination of permanent magnets and high quality melt‐textured YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO). The key concept of this hybrid superconducting magnetic bearing (HSMB) is the use of strong magnetic repulsion and attraction from permanent magnets to support high loads in conjunction with flux pinning in a type II superconductor to counteract instabilities in a system consisting of magnets only. To illustrate this concept, radial and axial forces between magnet/superconductor, magnet/magnet, and magnet/superconductor/magnet, were measured and compared for the thrust and journal bearing configurations on a bearing prototype.