Browsing by Author "Webber, David Wayne"

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    Control of HVAC Dampers by Trans-Permanent Magnetics
    (2005-11-09) Webber, David Wayne; Dr. M. K. Ramasubrmanian, Committee Member; Dr. Larry M. Silverberg, Committee Chair; Dr. Gracious Ngaile, Committee Member
    In recent years, the nation has come under an energy crunch. The energy crisis is in part due to inefficient energy use in actuators. Recent advancements in trans-permanent magnetics, will allow this new technology to be employed in actuators that will require significantly less energy. Applications such as spacecraft pointing and deployment, along with air valve actuation have already proven feasible. The applications for trans-permanent magnetics vary from solenoids to motors, with evident benefits of low power, and no wear. The purpose of this research is to develop and implement a trans-permanent magnetic actuator for HVAC dampers. The system will use a minimal number of magnets and will utilize magnetic forces for soft latching of the device in it open and closed states. The scope of this project includes mounting an HVAC damper in a moderate air stream, the design of a trans-permanent actuator, and evaluation of the actuator. The air flow through the duct is higher than typical found in residential or commercial HVAC systems. The actuator will rely upon onboard magnetization to operate the damper's louvers. The onboard magnetization process will occur through an impulse magnetizing circuit. Several experimental tests were conducted on the prototype actuator to test performance and limitations. The results of these experiments demonstrate a working unoptimized trans-permanent magnetic actuator.