Search results

Microsyn signal generators have been used in high-precision inertial sensors for their good structural stiffness and high sensitivity. However, as the stator and the rotor of the microsyn are both constructed of silicon-steel laminations with high permeability, an extremely small non-concentricity between the stator and rotor of microsyn will cause two random reaction torques acting on the output axis. As a result, difficulty arises in compensating for these random reaction torques. This study aims to investigate the electromagnetic fields of a novel angular transducer characterized by high sensitivity.

Based on the operation principles of the new transducer, the output voltage is decided by the time rate of change of the net magnetic flux of each output pole. The transient analysis of the electromagnetic field of the transducer is carried out by ANSYS Maxwell-3D.

The distributions of the magnetic flux of the transducer’s interior and eddy current on the rotor are consistent with the results of theory analysis. Moreover, the leakage flux mainly distributes nearby the excitation poles. The novel small-angle transducer also possesses a remarkably low reaction torque and power loss.

Study on the electromagnetic fields of the new transducer not only provides a powerful basis to further improve the precision of the new transducer but also expands the scope of applications of the new transducer.

This new transducer is not only characterized by a high sensitivity, high linearity and fast response but also extremely low reaction torque and power losses. Thus, the new transducer is suitable for high-precision inertial sensors.

The evaluations of the magnetohydrodynamics angular rate sensor (MHD ARS) in its applications necessitate further improvements in the sensor’s dynamic measurement ability. The magnetic field of the MHD ARS is a key factor in the sensor’s modeling and error analysis. The aim of this study is to illustrate the influence of a non-uniform magnetic field on the sensor.

Numerical simulation is made using ANSYS FLUNET with the magnetic field calculated by 3D-Magnetostatic. The comparison of the simulation results between uniform and non-uniform magnetic fields is made to reveal and explain the effects of magnetic field inhomogeneity (MFI) on the flow and electric field in detail. Two different structures with different MFIs are designed to confirm the MFI effect on the sensor’s output in simulation and experiment. A cross-correlation experiment and an adaptive filter are carried out to extract the signal to identify the error of the sensor output caused by MFI.

The MFI effect on the flow field in MHD ARS is found to be insignificant, while its effect on the electric potential is considerable. The comparisons between two kinds of MHD ARS in numerical simulation and experiment show that the MFI effect on the sensor error can be identified by fitting the sensor output. The deviation is mainly generated at the peaks and valleys of an angular vibration.

The study of the MHD ARS under the influence of a non-uniform magnetic field can offer an understanding of the MFI effect on the sensor and an evaluation method of the sensor error caused by the MFI effect.

Magnetohydrodynamics angular regular sensor (MHD ARS) has been used in many applications for its low noise in wide bandwidth, impact resistance and low power consumption; however, it is unable to estimate the angular velocity at low frequencies such as below 1 Hz. It is difficult to design compensation methods without an exact model. The aim of this study is to investigate a more exact analytical model characterization of the sensor’s frequency response, especially at a low-frequency zone.

A correction coefficient of electromagnetic force in simplified MHD ARS model was introduced according to the theoretical analysis of MHD flow and it was obtained by numerical simulation of electromagnetic force varying with time, space structure and frequency.

To make comparison, the transfer function of the designed MHD ARS in the experiment was identified using Gauss–Newton method with reasonable weights. The identification results confirmed the analytical model. Furthermore, a digital filter was designed based on the analytical model, and the compensation results showed that the frequency limit at low-frequency side was extended from 1 to 0.01 Hz.

The modified analytical model can describe the MHD ARS’s frequency response exactly and may be applied in its low-frequency compensation.

This study aims to ameliorate the strength and uniformity of the magnetic field in the air-gap of quartz flexible accelerometers. Quartz flexible accelerometers (QFAs), a type of magneto-electric inertial sensors, have wide applications in inertial navigation systems, and their precision, linearity and stability performance are largely determined by the magnetic field in operation air-gap. To enhance the strength and uniformity of the magnetic field in the air-gap, a magnetic hat structure has been proposed to replace the traditional magnetic pole piece which tends to produce stratiform magnetic field distribution.

Three-dimensional analysis in ANSYS workbench helps to exhibit magnetic field distribution for the structures with a pole piece and a magnetic hat, and under the hypothesis of cylindrical symmetry, two-dimensional finite element optimization by ANSYS APDL gives an optimal set of dimensions of the magnetic hat.

Three structures of the QFA with a pole piece, a non-optimized magnetic hat and an optimized magnetic hat are compared by the simulation in ANSYS Maxwell and experiments measuring the electromagnetic rebalance force. The results show that the optimized hat can supply stronger and more uniform magnetic field, which is reflected by larger and more linear rebalance force.

To the authors ' knowledge, the magnetic hat and its dimension optimization have rarely been reported, and they can find significant applications in designing QFAs or other similar magnetic sensors.