January 9, 2007 - Designed for use in wind generators, NdFeB-based permanent magnets offer temperature stability up to 230°C and minimal variation in magnetic properties. Products are resistant to demagnetization and exhibit corrosion stability in salty air and damp atmosphere. Use of permanent magnets in rotor of generator minimizes power loss and maintenance, while high pole numbers enable generators to be adjusted to low rotation of rotor blades.

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VACUUMSCHMELZE GmbH & Co.
2935 Dolphin Dr. Ste. 102
Elizabethtown, KY, 42701, USA

Hanau / Frankfurt - VACUUMSCHMELZE GmbH & Co. KG (Hanau) presented its new NdFeB-based permanent magnets with high stability against demagnetization, designed specifically for use in wind generators, at this year's electronica (14 to 17 November) in Munich. These magnets feature temperature stability up to 230°C as well as a very small variation in the magnetic properties. They are also designed for outstanding corrosion stability in salty air and damp atmosphere.

To date, wind energy installations have primarily comprised double-fed asynchronous generators with gear system (around 85% of windpower installations) or synchronous generators with electric excitation, which account for the remaining 15% of windpower systems. In comparison with these conventional systems, permanent magnet synchronous generators offer an array of advantages: Using permanent magnets in the rotor of the generator enables power losses to be cut by one-third. The high pole numbers that can be achieved with magnets enable the generators to be adjusted to the low rotation of the rotor blades, so that a gear system is unnecessary or a single-stage planetary gear is sufficient.

The use of permanent magnets is more efficient, and thus more cost-effective. Maintenance is minimized, also reducing costs throughout the lifespan of the system. These low-maintenance, high-efficiency synchronous generators are ideal for the wind farms of the future, the majority of which will be sited offshore.

VACUUMSCHMELZE has all the expertise necessary to optimize the generator design with regard to the magnetic circuit and assembling of magnetic modules.

VACUUMSCHMELZE GmbH & Co. KG
VACUUMSCHMELZE (VAC), based in Hanau, designs, produces and markets advanced magnetic materials and related products. In 1914, the first vacuum furnace laid the foundation for today's VACUUMSCHMELZE. Industrial vacuum melting techniques for alloys have been in operation since 1923. VAC today has over 3,000 employees in over 40 countries and annual sales of around 300 million euros, and is the holder of over 600 patents. The company is among the world's most highly innovative developers of advanced industrial materials.

VAC's range of products comprises a broad array of advanced semi-finished products, components, parts, modules and systems for use in a wide variety of fields and industries spanning watch-making and medical technology, regenerative energies, shipbuilding and telecommunications, and the automotive and aviation industries. VAC's custom solutions are developed in close collaboration with the customer, reflecting the company's expertise in materials and state-of-the-art production technology.

Find out more at www.vacuumschmelze.com

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