Simulation and verification of Thomson actuator systems

Abstract

The inherent characteristics of Thomson coil's (TC) are appropriate to meet the needs of high speed actuators for mechanical switching devices in so-called smart grids. This is due to the large forces that it can exert in the time scale of milliseconds. A coupled COMSOL Multiphysics model is developed in 2D involving PSpice circuits, Magneto-statics, and Moving Mesh Mode for predicting the motion of a conductive armature in the proximity of a coil upon an impulsive discharge of a capacitor bank. In the present work, the forces and the acceleration of an aluminum ring are computed. Subsequently, different case studies are explored to better understand the variables involved and their degree of influence they have on the TC. The developed model was validated experimentally with a built prototype and the results show that it can be used to accurately predict the performance of high speed actuators.