Sensing capabilities as tiltmeter presented by a setup realized with two identical coaxial cylindrical coils, in which a small permanent magnet is levitated in between, are investigated. As stabilizing pieces two pyrolitic graphite sheets are used, not to contradict Earshaw’s theorem which prohibits all kind of stable levitation in fields having a magnitude inversely proportional to the squared distance. The flux density associated to the coils is analytically evaluated, to be further used to derive the magnetic force needed to balance the force of gravity when levitation occurs. The used approximation is that the helical conductor presented by a coil is assumed to be an arrangement of aligned tangent circular loops. Equilibrium point coordinates of the levitated magnet are evaluated for tilt angles varying from horizontal to vertical positions. Conversion characteristics, stability functions and sensitivities for this possible kind of tiltmeter are obtained and discussed.

Keywords: Passive levitation, Equilibrium, Permanent magnet, Nd-Fe-B, Electromagnet, Coil, Stability function, Tiltmeter, Sensor, Conversion characteristic, Sensitivity