Patent · US Expired

Cryogenic wound rotor for lightweight, high voltage generators

US4739200A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
11References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 23, 1986
Grant dateApr 19, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 23, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E40/60
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Liquid hydrogen is used to completely cool all elements of the generator including bearings, stator conductor, rotor conductor, magnetic flux shield, and excitation mechanisms. By essentially immersing the generator in liquid hydrogen, cryogenic interface problems are minimized. The conductor windings will utilize pure metals such as aluminum to minimize the weight and the ohmic heat loss in the machine. Complications of liquid helium cooling for superconducting windings and quench phenomena due to thermal instabilities in the superconductors are eliminated. The use of extremely low resistance of liquid hydrogen cooled aluminum permits heat removal in the confined space of the rotor field winding at magnetic field and current density that can exceed that of superconductors. Because iron is not required in the generator, very high voltages can be generated.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.