Development of Simulator on Rotational Control for a Switched Reluctance type Bearingless Motor for a Centrifugal Blood Pump

Abstract

Recent clinical results show that implantable centrifugal blood pumps (CBP) utilizing magnetic or hydrodynamic bearings are superior to those using contact bearings in terms of durability, thrombus formation and hemolysis. Magnetic bearing technology is also expected to be used in extracorporeal disposable CBPs. However, the use of NdFeB magnets in the rotor of the disposable part is expensive, and this needs to be addressed. Our research group has developed a switched reluctance type bearingless motor (SRBELM) that doesn’t use NdFeB magnet in the disposable part. However, the generated torque of the SR-BELM has not been sufficient for the pump. To improve the rotation controller, a torque simulator of our SR-BELM system is designed. The simulator considering self-inductance and torque coefficient that change with the rotational angle can reproduce the previous experimental results.