Marine turbine comprising a stator, a rotor, a first magnetic bearing supporting the rotor and a second support bearing with rolling element(s)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9611831-B2
Application number	US-201314377055-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2013
Priority date	Feb 6, 2012
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

A marine turbine comprising a stator, a rotor, the rotor being able to be driven in rotation around an axis or rotation by a stream of a liquid, and at least one first bearing for supporting the rotor, the or each first bearing, comprising a magnetic stator element secured to the stator and magnetic rotor element secured to the rotor. The marine turbine further comprises at least one second bearing for supporting the rotor, the or each second bearing comprising at least one rolling element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hydrokinetic turbine generator, comprising:
a stator having an active statoric part, the stator forming a first stopping surface;
a rotor configured to be brought in rotation around a first axis of rotation by a flow of a liquid, the rotor having an active rotoric part opposite to the active statoric part in a radial direction to generate a magnetic field during rotation of the rotor around the first axis of rotation; and
at least one support bearing having at least one rolling element to support the rotor, the at least one support bearing forming a second stopping surface positioned opposite to the first stopping surface,
wherein the first stopping surface and the second stopping surface are configured to come in contact with one another in case of deterioration of the at least one rolling element to maintain an air gap between the active statoric part and the active rotoric part.

2. The hydrokinetic turbine generator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one support bearing has sectors arranged successively around the first axis of rotation so as to form a ring revolving around the first axis of rotation.

3. The hydrokinetic turbine generator of claim 2 , wherein each sector is independently detachable from the sectors of the respective support bearing.

4. The hydrokinetic turbine generator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rolling element is mobile in rotation around a second axis of rotation.

5. The hydrokinetic turbine generator of claim 4 , wherein an angle between the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation is between 30° and 60°.

6. The hydrokinetic turbine generator of claim 4 , wherein an angle between the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation is about 45°.

7. The hydrokinetic turbine generator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rolling element defines at least two different rows.

8. A hydrokinetic turbine generator, comprising:
a stator having an active statoric part, the stator forming a first stopping surface;
a rotor configured to be brought in rotation around a first axis of rotation by a flow of a liquid, the rotor having an active rotoric part opposite to the active statoric part in a radial direction to generate a magnetic field during rotation of the rotor around the first axis of rotation; and
support bearings to support the rotor, and which form a second stopping surface positioned opposite to the first stopping surface, wherein the support bearings are spaced apart from each other along the first axis of rotation and have at least one rolling element mobile in rotation around a second axis of rotation that is different than the first axis of rotation,
wherein the first stopping surface and the second stopping surface are configured to come in contact with one another in case of deterioration of the at least one rolling element to maintain an air gap between the active statoric part and the active rotoric part.

9. The hydrokinetic turbine generator of claim 8 , wherein the support bearings each have sectors arranged successively around the first axis of rotation so as to form a ring revolving around the first axis of rotation.

10. The hydrokinetic turbine generator of claim 9 , wherein each sector is independently detachable from the sectors of the respective support bearing.

11. The hydrokinetic turbine generator of claim 9 , wherein the at least one rolling element is mobile in rotation around a second axis of rotation.

12. The hydrokinetic turbine generator of claim 11 , wherein an angle between the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation is between 30° and 60°.

13. The hydrokinetic turbine generator of claim 11 , wherein an angle between the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation is about 45°.

14. The hydrokinetic turbine generator of claim 9 , wherein the at least one support bearing and the stator each form a stopping surface positioned opposite to one another.

15. The hydrokinetic turbine generator of claim 14 , wherein the stopping surfaces are configured to come in contact with one another in case of deterioration of the at least one rolling element to maintain an air gap between the active statoric part and the active rotoric part.

16. The hydrokinetic turbine generator of claim 9 , wherein the at least one rolling element defines at least two different rows.

17. A hydrokinetic turbine generator, comprising:
a stator having an active statoric part, the stator forming a first stopping surface;
a rotor configured to be brought in rotation around a first axis of rotation by a flow of a liquid, the rotor having an active rotoric part opposite to the active statoric part in a radial direction to generate a magnetic field during rotation of the rotor around the first axis of rotation; and
at least one support bearing having at least one rolling element to support the rotor, the support bearing having sectors arranged successively around the first axis of rotation so as to form a ring revolving around the first axis of rotation, the at least one support bearing forming a second stopping surface positioned opposite to the first stopping surface,
wherein the first stopping surface and the second stopping surface are configured to come in contact with one another in case of deterioration of the at least one rolling element to maintain an air gap between the active statoric part and the active rotoric part.

Assignees

• Ge Energy Power Conversion Technology Ltd
• Ge Energy Power Conversion Technology Ltd

Inventors

• Duchene Hugo
• Cagnin Philippe

Classifications

• F16C32/0402

  combined with other supporting means, e.g. hybrid bearings with both magnetic and fluid supporting means · CPC title

• F05B2240/97

  on a submerged structure · CPC title

• F03B13/264

  using the horizontal flow of water resulting from tide movement · CPC title

• F16C39/063

  Permanent magnets · CPC title

• F03B17/061

  with rotation axis substantially in flow direction · CPC title