Rotordynamic force measurement using piezoelectric sensors mounted under magnetic bearings

Magnetic bearings are complex devices with various uses. In addition to rotor support, they can also be used as a contactless active vibration compensator or vibration exciter in the rotordynamic experiments. When testing rotor dynamics, it is necessary to quantify the force acting on the rotor. The force can be determined in different ways with varying degrees of uncertainty. This paper presents the use of a magnetic bearing as a rotor vibration exciter and describes the measurement of the magnetic force using custom piezoelectric sensors located under the housing of the radial magnetic bearings.