• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.24-28
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• 2008

Eddy current are induced when a nonmagnetic, conductive material is moving as the result of being subjected to the magnetic field, or if it is placed in a time-varying magnetic field. These currents circulate in the conductive material and are dissipated, causing a repulsive force between the magnet and conductor. Using this concept, eddy current damping can be used as a form of viscous damping. This paper investigated analytically and experimentally the characteristics of an eddy current damping when a permanent magnet is placed in a conductive tube. The theoretical model of the eddy current damping is developed from electromagnetics and is verified from Maxwell program and experiments. From these comparisons, although predictability is not accurate at high excitation frequencies, the present model can be used to predict damping force at low excitation frequencies. In order to improve the prediction of the characteristics of an eddy current damping, the induced magnetic flux densities have to be considered in following researches.