Patent ID: 8330311

Claim:
A machine, comprising: a magnetic thrust bearing, comprising: a rotor portion; a stator portion; and a housing substantially surrounding said stator portion and said rotor portion; said rotor portion comprising: a thrust disk adapted to be circumferentially attached to a rotor and to rotate with the rotor, said thrust disk defining a thrust disk first side and a thrust disk second side, and said thrust disk first side opposing said thrust disk second side; and said stator portion comprising: a first thrust electromagnet and an opposing second thrust electromagnet, said first thrust electromagnet adapted to be separated by a first gap from said thrust disk first side, and said opposing second thrust electromagnet adapted to be separated by a second gap from said thrust disk second side; a first touchdown surface adapted to prevent contact between said first thrust electromagnet and any rotating component of said rotor portion; a second touchdown surface adapted to prevent contact between said opposing second thrust electromagnet and any rotating component of said rotor portion; an electronic controller adapted to control said first thrust electromagnet and said opposing second thrust electromagnet; said electronic controller comprising an amplifier adapted to increase apparent power provided to an electromagnetic coil comprised by said stator portion; a first annular heat sink located adjacent to an annular power circuit board, said first annular heat sink adapted to conduct heat substantially radially, outwardly, and away from a plurality of power transistors, said plurality of power transistors mounted on said first annular heat sink; and an annular processor circuit board adapted to produce a net force that substantially centers said rotor between said first thrust electromagnet and said opposing second thrust electromagnet, said annular processor circuit board physically separated from, and electrically shielded from, said annular power circuit board.