Abstract: A tubular primary permanent magnet linear machine（TPPMLM） with circumferential distribution of winding was proposed. Compared with the traditional TPPMLM, the machine used a concentrated winding which was circumferentially distributed in the primary, the tooth and yoke of the primary iron core could be shaped by pressing die at once with silicon steel sheet, the manufacturing process of primary was simple. Meanwhile, the PMs were located at the primary, the secondary was composed of the magnetic iron core, which could reduce the cost for long distance driving systems. This paper expounded the structure characteristics. Working principle was given. The equivalent magnetic circuit model and the simulation model of unit machine were established by using the magnetic circuit method and equivalent 2 D FEM. The static characteristics, which included the magnetic field, the no-load back-EMF, the detent force and the electromagnetic thrust, were analyzed. The 3 D FEM and the experimental results verify the validity of equivalent 2 D FEM and the correctness of the design method of the topology, respectively. In addition, the back-EMF test results shows that the topology does not exist the asymmetry problem of the back-EMF caused by the longitudinal end effect.