Project Details

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Cooling, Housing, and Powering of a Tabletop Electromagnet

Company: PSU Magneto-Active Commposites and Structures (MACS) Lab

Major(s):
Primary: ME
Secondary: EGEE
Optional: EE

Non-Disclosure Agreement: NO

Intellectual Property: NO

Overview: The Magneto-Active Composites and Structure (MACS) Laboratory at Penn State develops flexible devices and soft robots that are actuated using magnetic fields. These devices find applications in swimming, terrestrial locomotion, grasping, push-pull and other applications for a range of fields including biomedical devices and origami engineering. To test these devices the MACS Lab uses an array of electromagnetic field generators, including a tabletop E-Core magnet. The magnet was fabricated years ago by another PSU Capstone team. When in use, the magnet heats up, decreasing its maximum possible magnetic field, therefore it requires cooling for sustained use. The existing cooling system needs to be replaced. Additional needs include better wire management and an electrical shut-off for safety concerns. Also, the magnet currently rests awkwardly, sitting on its wound coils, on a given surface. A better supporting or mounting structure is required. Deliverables: The sponsor envisions that this project will have three deliverables. 1) A Cooling system: A standard cooling method for these magnets is to flow suitable coolant directly over the coils to extract heat, then extract heat from the coolant before recirculating it back through the coils. This will require selection of a suitable coolant material (one method uses deionized water). The system should display the current magnet and coolant temperatures at a minimum. It would beneficial if status lights (red-yellow-green) based on preset temperatures were also displayed. Quick disconnects and valving should be included such that coolant lines can be easily disconnects and reconnected from the magnet for transport. Specifications for a suitable laboratory chiller to remove heat from the coolant should be determined and then the device should be procured and integrated with the magnet. 2) The electrical system: The magnet is powered by the 30A supply to which it is hardwired. Instead, the sponsor seeks to have the magnet wired to an enclosed terminal block that can also be dis/connected separately to a power supply. There should be a manual shutoff in this terminal. 3) The housing: Herein the sponsor seeks housing that a) reversibly fixes the magnet level on a transportable, non-conducting platform, b) has space for mounting the terminal block from (2), c) allows orderly arrangements of all electrical wiring and coolant lines, and d) provides a riser in between the magnet poles that is level with the pole faces. A bonus would be if the riser is 1/4-20 tapped on 1” spacings.