Abstract: A monolithic heat exchanger body for inputting heat to a closed-cycle engine includes heating walls and heat sink, such as heat transfer regions. The heating walls are configured and arranged in an array of spirals or spiral arcs relative to a longitudinal axis of an inlet plenum. Adjacent portions of the heating walls respectively define corresponding heating fluid pathways fluidly communicating with the inlet plenum. At least a portion of the heat sink is disposed about at least a portion of the monolithic heat exchanger body. The heat sink includes working-fluid bodies including working-fluid pathways that have a heat transfer relationship with the heating fluid pathways. Respective ones of the heat transfer regions have a heat transfer relationship with a corresponding semiannular portion of the heating fluid pathways. Respective ones of the heat transfer regions include working-fluid pathways fluidly communicating between a heat input region and a heat extraction region.

Abstract: An electric power system for a vehicle includes at least one electric machine, one or more power rectifiers, and a plurality of DC channels. The at least one electric machine includes a plurality of tooth-wound multi-phase windings that are substantially magnetically decoupled, and the at least one electric machine is mechanically balanced even if one of the plurality of windings is de-energized. The one or more power rectifiers are configured to produce rectified power from the power generated by the at least one electric machine. The plurality of DC channels are formed after the at least one power rectifier and are configured to provide DC power to one or more loads within a vehicle.

Abstract: A method of removing heat from an electrical machine located in a gas turbine engine at least partially inward of a core airflow path in a radial direction, the electrical machine comprising an outer electrical machine stator and an inner electrical machine rotor is provided. The method includes directing a liquid coolant radially inward past the outer electrical machine stator and toward an inner electrical machine rotor using a coolant passageway. The liquid coolant is directed onto and/or through one or both of the inner electrical machine rotor and a rotor support thereby removing heat from the inner electrical machine rotor.

Abstract: An electrical machine includes a stator assembly coupled to an engine stator component of a propulsion engine. The stator assembly includes a stator support assembly fixedly attached to the engine stator component and a stator disposed on the stator support structure. An electrical machine shaft is coupled to an end of a shaft of the propulsion engine via an intermediate shaft member extending axially between the end of the shaft and the electrical machine shaft. A bearing support frame extends from the propulsion engine, the bearing support frame defining a bearing cavity in conjunction with the electrical machine shaft. Electrical machine bearings radially extend from the bearing support frame to rotatably contact the electrical machine shaft. A rotor attached to a rotor support structure attached to the electrical machine shaft. The rotor rotates in conjunction with the electrical machine shaft to exchange energy with the shaft of the propulsion engine.

Abstract: An electrical machine includes a stator assembly coupled to an engine stator component of a propulsion engine. The stator assembly includes a stator support assembly fixedly attached to the engine stator component and a stator disposed on a supporting surface of the stator support structure. The electrical machine also includes a rotor assembly including a rotor support structure connected to a shaft of the propulsion engine and a rotor attached to the rotor support structure such that the rotor is disposed radially inward of the stator. The rotor exchanges rotational energy with the shaft to operate as either an electrical motor or an electrical generator.

Abstract: A method of removing heat from an electrical machine located in a gas turbine engine at least partially inward of a core airflow path in a radial direction, the electrical machine including an outer generator stator and an inner generator rotor is provided. The method includes directing cooling airflow radially through an airflow passageway to an enclosure at least partially defined by a thermal shield at least partially around the electrical machine. The cooling airflow is directed radially inward past the outer generator stator and toward the inner generator rotor using a cooling manifold thereby removing heat from the generator rotor.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes an electrical machine positioned at least partially inward of a core airflow path, the electrical machine including an electrical rotor component and an electrical stator component, a connecting member positioned between the electrical machine and a rotary member, a disconnection device that is positionable between a disengaged position, in which the disconnection device is disengaged from the connecting member, and an engaged position, in which the disconnection device is engaged with the connecting member, and a controller including a processor, where the processor receives a signal from the electrical machine indicative of a fault, and in response to receiving the signal from the electrical machine indicative of the fault, directs the disconnection device to move from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

Abstract: A system for energy conversion including a closed cycle engine containing a volume of working fluid is provided. The engine includes a double-ended piston assembly including a pair of pistons coupled to a connection member. An expansion chamber is separated from a compression chamber by the piston. The engine defines an outer end and an inner end relative to a lateral extension of the piston assembly. A heater body is positioned thermally proximal to the expansion chamber and thermally distal to the compression chamber, and the heater body is positioned at the outer end of the engine. A load device is operably coupled to the piston assembly at the inner end of the engine. The load device is positioned between the pair of pistons of the piston assembly.

Abstract: A turbine engine that includes an engine core, a core casing surrounding the engine core, at least one cowl surrounding the core casing, a power converter located between the at least one cowl and the core casing, an electrical generator disposed within the engine core, at least one electrical strut having an outer wall defining an interior and extending radially between the engine core and the core casing; and at least one electrical conduit located within the interior and electrically coupling the generator to the power converter.

Abstract: A monolithic heat exchanger body for inputting heat to a closed-cycle engine may include a plurality of heating walls and heat sink, such as a plurality of heat transfer regions. The plurality of heating walls may be configured and arranged in an array of spirals or spiral arcs relative to a longitudinal axis of an inlet plenum. Adjacent portions of the plurality of heating walls may respectively define a corresponding plurality of heating fluid pathways therebetween, for example, fluidly communicating with the inlet plenum. At least a portion of the heat sink may be disposed about at least a portion of the monolithic heat exchanger body. The heat sink may include a plurality of working-fluid bodies, for example, including a plurality of working-fluid pathways that have a heat transfer relationship with the plurality of heating fluid pathways.

Abstract: A thrust magnetic bearing integrated with an induction machine and methods for using the same for slow roll control of rotors and other rotating components is provided. The rotor can include a shaft and a thrust bearing disk. The thrust magnetic bearing can include thrust bearing stators positioned axially adjacent to the thrust bearing disk and they can be configured to apply axial magnetic forces to the thrust bearing disk. The induction machine can be configured to generate a rotating magnetic field that causes a torque to be applied to the thrust bearing disk in a predetermined rotational direction. In one aspect, the induction machine can include a radial stator positioned adjacent to a circumference of the thrust bearing disk and two or more circumferentially offset windings. In another aspect, the induction machine can position the two or more circumferentially offset windings on the thrust bearing stators.

Abstract: An electric power system for a vehicle includes at least one electric machine, one or more power rectifiers, and a plurality of DC channels. The at least one electric machine includes a plurality of tooth-wound multi-phase windings that are substantially magnetically decoupled, and the at least one electric machine is mechanically balanced even if one of the plurality of windings is de-energized. The one or more power rectifiers are configured to produce rectified power from the power generated by the at least one electric machine. The plurality of DC channels are formed after the at least one power rectifier and are configured to provide DC power to one or more loads within a vehicle.

Abstract: An energy conversion apparatus may include an engine assembly, such as a monolithic engine assembly, that includes a first heater body and a first engine body. The first heater body may define a first portion of a first monolithic body or at least a portion of a first monolithic body-segment. The first engine body may define a second portion of the first monolithic body or at least a portion of a second monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the first heater body. The engine assembly may include a second heater body and/or a second engine body. The second heater body may define a portion of a second monolithic body or a third monolithic body-segment. The second engine body may define a portion of the second monolithic body or a fourth monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the second heater body and/or the first engine body.

Abstract: An electric machine having an electrically insulative manifold is disclosed. In one example aspect, an electric machine includes a non-electrically conductive manifold. The manifold defines a chamber operable to receive a cooling fluid. The electric machine includes a prime winding in fluid communication with the chamber and one or more secondary windings in electrical communication with the prime winding and in fluid communication with the chamber. Further, the electric machine includes an electric machine terminal extending through the non-electrically conductive manifold and coupled with the prime winding. The electric machine terminal can provide or collect cooling fluid from the chamber of the manifold and can act as the electrical connection point for directing electrical power to or from the windings of the electric machine.

Abstract: A stator core is provided that can define a plurality of core slots in a surface thereof. The core slots can extend between a first and a second end portion of the stator core. A winding can be housed in the core slots. The winding can define a channel through at least a portion thereof. A cooling system can be operably coupled with the channel and can be configured to move a cooling fluid through the channel. A turbulator can be positioned within the channel. The turbulator can be within a flowpath of the cooling fluid and can be integrally formed with the winding.

Abstract: A turbomachine equipped with an embedded electric machine having a segmented and movable stator is provided. In one aspect, a turbomachine defines a radial direction and includes a rotating component, actuators, and an electric machine. The electric machine includes a rotor assembly rotatable with and operatively coupled with the rotating component. The electric machine also includes a stator assembly having a stator split into stator segments. Each one of the stator segments is movable by one of the actuators between a first position and a second position along the radial direction, the stator segments each being closer to the rotor assembly along the radial direction when in the first position than when in the second position.

Abstract: A high voltage electric machine and power distribution system including one or more of such electric machines are provided. In one aspect, a high voltage electric machine includes a stator, a rotor, and a housing encasing at least a portion of the stator and rotor. The stator is modularized into cascaded voltage stator modules. The stator modules are galvanically isolated from one another by intermodular separators. At least one intermodular separator is positioned between each adjacent pair of stator modules. The stator modules are also galvanically isolated from the housing by a housing separator. The housing separator is positioned between the stator modules and the housing. Each stator module has an associated set of windings that are wound only within their associated stator module.

Abstract: An electric machine can include a stator core having a plurality of core teeth that define a plurality of core slots in a surface thereof. A winding can be housed at least partially in the core slots. The winding can include a tube defining a channel through at least a portion thereof and one or more wires disposed along a surface of the tube that is opposite the channel. A cooling system can be operably coupled with the channel and configured to move a cooling fluid through the channel.

Abstract: A generator assembly includes a stator assembly coupled to an engine stator component of a propulsion engine, the stator assembly including: a stator support structure fixedly attached to the engine stator component; a stator disposed on a supporting surface of the stator support; a manifold coupled to the stator support, the manifold defining a connection volume and including at least one coolant opening at a connection end of the manifold; and an electrical connector extending between the stator and a connection device disposed on the connection end. The generator assembly also includes a rotor assembly comprising a rotor support structure connected to a shaft of the propulsion engine and a rotor attached to the rotor support structure, wherein the rotor rotates in conjunction with the shaft to generate a power signal that travels through the electrical connector to the connection device.

Abstract: An electric machine is provided. The electric machine defines a centerline and includes: a stator assembly; a rotor assembly rotatable relative to the stator assembly about the centerline; and an actuator coupled to the rotor assembly, the stator assembly, or both for moving the rotor assembly, the stator assembly, or both along the centerline between a first position and a second position, the rotor assembly positioned closer to the stator assembly when in the first position than when in the second position.