Varying capacitance rotating electrical machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9571010-B2
Application number	US-201514872312-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2015
Priority date	Oct 31, 2011
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

A varying capacitance rotating electrical machine provides capacitor elements, such as capacitor plates, that move with respect to each other as separated by a thin film of fluid, for example, air, on which one capacitor element floats. In one embodiment, multiple plates provide for three-phase operation. Narrow gaps provided by the floating capacitor elements increase the power density of the rotating electrical machine.

First claim

We claim:

1. A rotating electrical machine comprising:
a stator supported on a frame and having at least one stator plate;
a rotor supported on an axle supported on bearings mounted on the frame for rotation of the axle about an axis with respect to the stator and including at least one rotor plate positioned to pass by the stator plate during rotation of the rotor with respect to the stator; and
a liquid film between the stator and rotor;
wherein the at least one stator plate and at least one rotor plate are axially movable to float in separation when the at least one rotor plate passes by the at least one stator plate on the liquid film so that during operation of the rotating electrical machine, the liquid suspends the at least one stator plate and at least one rotor plate in separation in a manner of a fluid bearing and without mechanical contact between the at least one rotor plate and the at least one stator plate and intervening solid bearing materials.

2. The rotating electrical machine of claim 1 further including a spring element biasing at least one of the at least one rotor plate and the at least one stator plate axially toward the other of the at least one rotor plate and the at least one stator plate.

3. The rotating electrical machine of claim 2 wherein the stator supports at least two conductive stator plates connected to stationary terminals on the frame for communication with external circuitry.

4. The rotating electrical machine of claim 3 wherein the rotating electrical machine is a motor and further including an AC voltage source attached across the terminals.

5. The rotating electrical machine of claim 4 wherein the stator include three electrically independent sets of plates distributed in equal angles about the axis, the plates of each set joined electrically to a common terminal.

6. The rotating electrical machine of claim 1 further including a second stator positioned on an opposite side of the rotor from the stator, the second stator providing at least one second rotor plate positioned to pass by at least one rotor plate during rotation of the rotor with respect to the stator.

7. The rotating electrical machine of claim 6 wherein at least one rotor plate of the rotor is positioned and adapted to be centered between the stator and second stator by the liquid passing between the rotor and stator and second stator on two opposed sides of the rotor.

8. The rotating electrical machine of claim 1 wherein the at least one rotor plate provides a dielectric layer on a side of the rotor plate proximate to the stator.

9. The rotating electrical machine of claim 1 wherein the at least on stator plate is an electrical conductor.

10. The rotating electrical machine of claim 1 wherein the stator is a disk extending perpendicularly to the axis.

11. The rotating electrical machine of claim 1 wherein the liquid is a dielectric oil.

12. A method of operating a rotating electrical machine having a stator supported on a frame and having at least one stator plate and having a rotor supported on an axle supported on bearings mounted on the frame for rotation of the axle about an axis with respect to the stator and including at least one rotor plate positioned to pass by the stator plate during rotation of the rotor with respect to the stator, and further having a liquid film between the stator and rotor wherein the at least one stator plate and at least one rotor plate are axially movable to float in separation when the at least one rotor plate passes by the at least one stator plate on the liquid film so that during operation of the rotating electrical machine, the liquid suspends the at least one stator plate and at least one rotor plate in separation in a manner of a fluid bearing and without mechanical contact between the at least one rotor plate and the at least one stator plate and intervening solid bearing materials, the method comprising the step of:
(a) applying a varying voltage to the at least one stator plate to generate forces between the stator and the rotor to apply a torque to the rotor to rotate the rotor with respect to the stator.

13. The method of claim 2 wherein the liquid is a dielectric oil.

14. A rotating electrical machine comprising:
a stator supported on a frame and having at least one stator plate connected to a stationary terminal on the frame for communication with external circuitry;
a rotor supported on an axle supported on bearings mounted on the frame for rotation of the axle about an axis with respect to the stator and including at least one rotor plate positioned to pass by the stator plate during rotation of the rotor with respect to the stator;
at least one slip ring communicating between the at least one rotor plate and a stationary terminal on the frame; and
a fluid film between the stator and rotor;
wherein the at least one stator plate and at least one rotor plate are axially movable to float in separation when the at least one rotor plate passes by the at least one stator plate on the fluid film so that during operation of the rotating electrical machine, the fluid suspends the at least one stator plate and at least one rotor plate in separation in a manner of a fluid bearing and without mechanical contact between the at least one rotor plate and the at least one stator plate and intervening solid bearing materials.

15. The rotating electrical machine of claim 14 wherein the fluid is a gas.

Assignees

• Wisconsin Alumni Res Found

Inventors

• Ludois Daniel Colin

Classifications

• H02N1/00

  Electrostatic generators or motors using a solid moving electrostatic charge carrier · CPC title

• H02N1/08 Primary

  with conductive charge carrier, i.e. capacitor machines · CPC title

• H02N1/006

  of the gap-closing type (H02N1/004 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02N1/002

  Electrostatic motors · CPC title