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In high‐power industrial applications such as air‐cooled condenser fans, excessive mechanical gear failures highlight a need to investigate possible alternatives. In this study, the concentric magnetic gear (CMG) is evaluated as a potential replacement for traditional mechanical gear. For a more objective comparison between the CMG and mechanical gear, a CMG is optimally designed in accordance with the performance specifications of an existing mechanical gear. The design is further refined for performance improvements taking into account mechanical strength requirements. Based on the design a CMG prototype is manufactured and experimentally evaluated against its mechanical counterpart under the same operating conditions. The performance of both gears achieved efficiency in the mid 90% range. The mechanical gear slightly outperformed the CMG under rated operating conditions. The large unbalanced magnetic forces within the CMG are likely responsible for the larger than expected no‐load losses. With the advantage of overload protection, reduced maintenance requirements, the CMG could be a valid replacement for the mechanical gear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the design, construction, and experimental performance evaluation of an axial flux magnetically geared permanent magnet (MGPM) machine for wind power application. The optimum electromagnetic design for both magnetically coupled and decoupled configurations is described. Considering the complex structure of the axial flux MGPM machine, special attention is also paid to the mechanical design aspects. The optimized results show that a torque density in excess of 100 kNm/m3 could be achieved for the active gear part. The inherent overload protection of the MGPM machine has also been demonstrated. Furthermore, the design-related aspects and issues are analyzed and discussed in detail in an attempt to outline problem areas in the design process. Relevant discussions are given and conclusions are drawn. © 2015 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]