Abstract

This paper deals with a design of linear stepper motor for biomedical applications. The involved biomedical system is a syringe pump generally used for continuous drug infusion. The syringe pump consists of a linear switched reluctance motor (LSRM) coupled to a syringe plunger. In order to determine the axial force to control the syringe plunger, it was necessary to begin by evaluating the thrust force. The latter constituted the key element for designing the motor. Based on the concept of energy balance, a simplified analytical model was developed to predict the electromagnetic characteristics of the linear switched reluctance motor. The validity of results was ensured by direct comparison with the finite element method (FEM).

Key words: Linear switched reluctance motor, syringe pump, modelling, finite-element.