Rotor and method of forming same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9866092-B2
Application number	US-201414281187-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2014
Priority date	May 19, 2014
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

A method of forming a rotor includes inserting a conductor bar into a slot defined by a lamination stack to define a gap between the conductor bar and the lamination stack. The method further includes, after inserting, swelling the conductor bar within the slot to fill the gap and form the rotor. A rotor is also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of forming a rotor, the method comprising:
inserting a conductor bar into a slot defined by a lamination stack to define a gap between the conductor bar and the lamination stack;
after inserting, expanding the conductor bar within the slot to fill the gap and form the rotor; and
diffusing hydrogen gas into the conductor bar;
wherein diffusing includes heating the conductor bar at a temperature of from about 100° C. to about 800° C. for a duration of from about 1 hour to about 20 days in an atmosphere including hydrogen in an amount of from about 2 parts by volume to about 100 parts by volume based on 100 parts by volume of the atmosphere.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein expanding includes disposing the conductor bar adjacent and in direct contact with the lamination stack.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein inserting includes spacing the conductor bar apart from the lamination stack by a distance within the slot, and further wherein expanding includes minimizing the distance.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductor bar has an initial volume before inserting, and further wherein expanding includes heating the conductor bar to expand the initial volume to a final volume that is greater than the initial volume.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein diffusing is concurrent to expanding.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein inserting is subsequent to diffusing.

7. A method of forming a rotor, the method comprising:
stacking a plurality of steel laminations adjacent and in contact with one another to form a lamination stack, wherein the lamination stack has a proximal surface and a distal surface spaced apart from the proximal surface and further wherein the lamination stack defines a slot therethrough extending from the proximal surface to the distal surface;
diffusing hydrogen gas into the conductor bar;
wherein diffusing includes exposing the conductor bar to an atmosphere including hydrogen in an amount of from about 2 parts by volume to about 20 parts by volume based on 100 parts by volume of the atmosphere;
after diffusing, inserting a conductor bar having an end portion into the slot to define a gap between the conductor bar and the lamination stack;
after inserting, applying a flux material to the end portion;
after applying, pre-heating the flux material; and
after inserting, expanding the conductor bar within the slot to fill the gap and form the rotor.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein expanding includes disposing the conductor bar adjacent and in direct contact with the lamination stack.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein inserting includes spacing the conductor bar apart from the lamination stack by a distance within the slot, and further wherein expanding includes minimizing the distance.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the conductor bar has an initial volume before inserting, and further wherein expanding includes heating the conductor bar to expand the initial volume to a final volume that is greater than the initial volume.

11. The method of claim 7 , further including, after expanding, forming a shorting ring disposed in contact with the flux material.

12. A method of forming a rotor, the method comprising:
stacking a plurality of steel laminations adjacent and in contact with one another to form a lamination stack, wherein the lamination stack has a proximal surface and a distal surface spaced apart from the proximal surface and further wherein the lamination stack defines a slot therethrough extending from the proximal surface to the distal surface;
diffusing hydrogen gas into the conductor bar;
after diffusing, inserting a conductor bar having an end portion into the slot to define a gap between the conductor bar and the lamination stack;
after inserting, applying a flux material to the end portion;
after applying, pre-heating the flux material; and
after inserting, expanding the conductor bar within the slot to fill the gap and form the rotor;
wherein expanding includes heating the conductor bar at a temperature of from about 100° C. to about 800° C. for a duration of from about 1 hour to about 20 days in an atmosphere including hydrogen in an amount of from about 2 parts by volume to about 100 parts by volume based on 100 parts by volume of the atmosphere.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Hanna Michael D
• Schroth James G
• Agapiou John S
• Morgante John C

Classifications

• H02K17/165

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02K15/024

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02K15/0012

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02K15/0031 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• Y10T29/49014

  Superconductor · CPC title