Apparatus to support superconducting windings in a rotor of an electromotive machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9431864-B2
Application number	US-201313945982-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2013
Priority date	Mar 15, 2011
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus (structure) is provided to support a superconductor winding ( 61 ) of an electromotive machine. An assembly ( 110 ), such as a cradle, may define a recess to receive the superconductor winding. An elongated loop ( 74 ) provides radial support to the winding. Loop 74 may be made of a material resistant to heat flow, such as a fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) material. Assembly ( 110 ) may be arranged to support elongated loop ( 74 ) at a distal end ( 78 ) of the loop. A base assembly ( 130 ) may be arranged to anchor the elongated loop at a proximate end ( 76 ) of the loop. A support structure 120 may be arranged to provide tangential load support to the assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus to support at least one superconductor winding in a spaced-apart relationship from a rotor core of an electromotive machine, the apparatus comprising:
at least one elongated loop arranged to provide radial support to said at least one superconducting winding, the elongated loop comprising a material substantially resistant to heat flow;
an axially-extending base assembly arranged to anchor said at least one loop with respect to the rotor core at a proximate end of the elongated loop; and
an assembly having a recess to receive at least a portion of said at least one superconductor winding and to support the elongated loop at a distal end of the elongated loop.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a support structure arranged to provide tangential support to said at least one superconducting winding.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the support structure comprises a laterally-extending loop arranged to provide the tangential support to said at least one superconducting winding, the laterally-extending loop comprising a material substantially resistant to heat flow.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the base assembly comprises a bumper support structure which constitutes the support structure.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the bumper support structure comprises at least one discrete bumper disposed on a periphery of the base assembly.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the bumper support structure comprises a first bumper portion which defines a seat arranged to support the cradle during a static condition of the rotor or during a rotational condition comprising a relatively low revolution per minute (RPM) of the rotor, and further comprises a second bumper portion which jointly with said at least first loop provide the radial and tangential support to the cradle.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the assembly comprises a cradle and a pedestal arranged to close a bottom side of the recess and support the superconducting winding in the cradle.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the base assembly comprises at least one seat arranged to support the pedestal during a static condition of the rotor or during a rotational condition comprising a relatively low revolution per minute (RPM) of the rotor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the support structure comprises an extension of said at least one seat.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said at least one seat and the extension of said at least one seat form a continuous bumper support structure, which defines at least a portion of the periphery of the base assembly.

11. An apparatus to support a superconductor winding in a spaced apart relationship from a rotor core of an electromotive machine, comprising:
an assembly configured to define a recess to receive the superconductor winding;
at least one elongated loop arranged to provide radial support to the superconducting winding, the elongated loop comprising a material substantially resistant to heat flow, wherein the assembly is arranged to support the elongated loop at a distal end of the elongated loop;
an axially-extending base assembly arranged to anchor the elongated loop with respect to the rotor core at a proximate end of the elongated loop; and
a support structure to provide jointly with the elongated loop radial and tangential support to the assembly.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the support structure comprises a laterally-extending loop arranged to provide the tangential support to the superconducting winding, the laterally-extending loop comprising a material substantially resistant to heat flow.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the base assembly comprises a bumper support structure which constitutes the support structure.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the bumper support structure comprises at least one discrete bumper disposed on a periphery of the base assembly.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the bumper support structure comprises a first bumper portion which defines a seat arranged to support the cradle during a static condition of the rotor or during a rotational condition comprising a relatively low revolution per minute (RPM) of the rotor, and further comprises a second bumper portion which jointly with said at least first loop provide the radial and tangential support to the cradle.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the assembly comprises a cradle and a pedestal arranged to close a bottom side of the recess and support the superconducting winding in the cradle.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the base assembly comprises at least one seat arranged to support the pedestal during a static condition of the rotor or during a rotational condition comprising a relatively low revolution per minute (RPM) of the rotor.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the support structure comprises an extension of said at least one seat.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein said at least one seat and the extension of said at least one seat form a continuous bumper support structure, which defines at least a portion of the periphery of the base assembly.

Assignees

• Rico Raul Ricardo
• Murphy Robert L
• Siemens Energy Inc

Inventors

• Rico Raul Ricardo
• Murphy Robert L

Classifications

• H02K5/00 Primary

  Casings; Enclosures; Supports · CPC title

• H02K55/04 Primary

  with rotating field windings · CPC title

• Y02E40/625

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H02K3/48

  in slots · CPC title

• H02K3/527 Primary

  applicable to rotors only · CPC title