Application of the rare earth permanent magnet in linear generator driven by an internal combustion engine

Permanent magnets are widely used in a variety of industrial applications especially in designing sensors, motors, generators and actuators. This paper presents the application of the rare earth permanent magnet in a linear generator. Basic terminologies of permanent magnet are reviewed and its characteristics are studied. The appropriate permanent magnet is chosen based on the consideration of a number of main factors. Finite element method (FEM) is used to analyze thermal distribution in the linear generator. The simulation result is then used to predict the maximum amount of heat that may affect the permanent magnet behavior in the linear generator.