An attempt to improve the braking capacities of eddy current retarder with double-rotor excitation structure

Vehicle retarders receive more and more attention along with its use growing. This paper introduces a new type of eddy current retarder with double-rotor excitation and liquid-cooled stator structure. It can be considered to consist of two retarder units combined in the radial direction. Four different double-rotor eddy current retarders were proposed, including a double electric excitation rotor, a double permanent magnet (PM) rotor and two kinds of PM and electric hybrid excitation rotor structures. Each retarder has its own advantages, and might replace some of existing products, with its improved braking capacities and better cooling performance. FE based analysis of the four retarders were carried out respectively, and their properties and operating effects were compared.