Abstract
The need for an energy recovery test bench that could be used to analyze and simulate potential usage scenarios for a variety of industrial applications will be addressed. This addresses energy recovery concerns in the industrial space and can provide decision information on possible returns on investment for upgrade or equipment additions. The experimental portion uses a high speed industrial Halbach Array motor paired to a high-speed spindle motor for power input while still allowing the ability to incorporate multiple study configurations. A dynamometer was designed to limit outside variables pertaining to the unique circumstances of the Halbach Array in the study, paired with LabVIEW and an electrical control panel housing the various sensors for data acquisition and analysis. The system uses phase voltage and current to analyze apparent power losses and energy recovery ability of the equipment without the need for torque and speed measurement or equipment specific estimates and calculations. Motor load of the Halbach Array was simulated using sinusoidal, ramp and manual step input functions. These functions represent normal circumstances, such as gravitational potential loading and deloading as well as solar, tidal and wind power generation that a motor may experience in the field. The results of the simulation show an average the electromechanical conversion efficiency of 51.38% over all simulation functions for the power conversion from spindle motor to Halbach Array. The results also show under certain circumstances such as lower speeds of the motor paired with a gradual rate of change in the frequency input by the variable frequency drive, the efficiency could achieve upwards of 73.3%. The results also show that likewise given undesirable conditions such as quick erratic changes, or higher speeds, efficiency will fall with the lowest being 43.3%. The implications of the results show that the test bench dynamometer and data acquisition system achieved the goal in providing information that can help advise on energy regeneration systems and efficiency of motors. The experiment was also able to show that there may be additional benefits to the design of the Halbach Array motor and testing apparatus by the addition of a purpose-built power controller, as well as electrical and mechanical sensors to corroborate load conditions. Achieving the purpose of this thesis, a test bench system for energy recovery analysis was designed and constructed to assist in determining if an energy recovery system could be applied productively and at an appropriate return on investment.