Magnetic Field Manipulation as a Means of Stabilization

Abstract

Magnetic levitation technology is rapidly evolving, yet its applications to magnetic stabilization, or using magnetic levitation to stabilize a floating object, have not been fully explored. The goal of our research was to modify current magnetic levitation technology and create a proof-of-concept that paves the way for future research that more specifically explores the real-world applications of magnetic stabilization such as wind turbines. As such, our research was primarily focused on developing a system that could stabilize a levitating magnet using inductors. We accomplished this using data we gathered on several permanent magnets to ensure proper inductor calibration. We then developed code for a microcontroller with a real-time operating system to interface with the system's circuit components. We formulated the microcontroller's code by adapting a general control algorithm to make micro-adjustments to the current provided to our inductors. Our code used the real-time data gathered by a PCB Hall-effect sensor array to make the necessary adjustments to achieve stabilization and levitation. Our findings and methods for code development show encouraging results and suggest that further improvements to the design and calibration of our system should be explored in order to refine our proof-of-concept for specific applications.