Abstract: The present disclosure broadly relates to apparatuses and methods for generating electric power. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a self-excited electric generator. The self-excited electric generator may include auxiliary windings to provide a source of electricity to an associated generator control unit (GCU). The apparatuses and methods of the present invention may provide added benefits of reducing excitation requirements from the GCU. Thereby, the apparatuses and methods may reduce cost, weight, and size of an electric generator, and may increase reliability of associated systems.

Abstract: A generator assembly may include a bearing liner and a bearing retainer configured to reduce vibration response in a bearing assembly under high frequency operation of a rotor. The bearing liner may be configured to provide a clearance between the bearing assembly and an adjacent housing/bearing liner to prevent high vibration output from the bearing assembly on for example, the rotor shaft. The bearing retainer may include a recess to accommodate axial movement of the bearing assembly in response to rotation of the rotor. In some embodiments, the bearing retainer may include a dampener to dampen contact of the bearing assembly with the retainer.

Abstract: The present disclosure broadly relates to apparatuses and methods for generating electric power. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a self-excited electric generator. The self-excited electric generator may include auxiliary windings to provide a source of electricity to an associated generator control unit (GCU). The apparatuses and methods of the present invention may provide added benefits of reducing excitation requirements from the GCU. Thereby, the apparatuses and methods may reduce cost, weight, and size of an electric generator, and may increase reliability of associated systems.

Abstract: A generator assembly may include a bearing liner and a bearing retainer configured to reduce vibration response in a bearing assembly under high frequency operation of a rotor. The bearing liner may be configured to provide a clearance between the bearing assembly and an adjacent housing/bearing liner to prevent high vibration output from the bearing assembly on for example, the rotor shaft. The bearing retainer may include a recess to accommodate axial movement of the bearing assembly in response to rotation of the rotor. In some embodiments, the bearing retainer may include a dampener to dampen contact of the bearing assembly with the retainer.

Abstract: A wedge cooling apparatus and method for cooling a rotating machine, such as a generator, disperses a spray of cooling fluid into the wedges of the generator. The spray cooling method results in a high heat transfer coefficient of about 2000-3000 W/m2C as opposed to conventional conduction cooling, which has a heat transfer coefficient of about 200-300 W/m2C. The apparatus and method of the present invention efficiently removes heat from high powered, high current density designed generators.

Abstract: A wedge cooling apparatus and method for cooling a rotating machine, such as a generator, disperses a spray of cooling fluid into the wedges of the generator via a pipe that runs along the length of each of the wedges. The pipe may include a plurality of spray delivery devices to spray cooling fluid from the pipe to the inside of the wedges. The spray cooling method results in a high heat transfer coefficient of about 2000-3000 W/m2C as opposed to conventional conduction cooling, which has a heat transfer coefficient of about 200-300 W/m2C. The apparatus and method of the present invention efficiently removes heat from high powered, high current density designed generators.

Abstract: A wedge cooling apparatus and method for cooling a rotating machine, such as a generator, disperses a spray of cooling fluid into the wedges of the generator. The spray cooling method results in a high heat transfer coefficient of about 2000-3000 W/m2C as opposed to conventional conduction cooling, which has a heat transfer coefficient of about 200-300 W/m2C. The apparatus and method of the present invention efficiently removes heat from high powered, high current density designed generators.

Abstract: A wedge cooling apparatus and method for cooling a rotating machine, such as a generator, disperses a spray of cooling fluid into the wedges of the generator via a pipe that runs along the length of each of the wedges. The pipe may include a plurality of spray delivery devices to spray cooling fluid from the pipe to the inside of the wedges. The spray cooling method results in a high heat transfer coefficient of about 2000-3000 W/m2C as opposed to conventional conduction cooling, which has a heat transfer coefficient of about 200-300 W/m2C. The apparatus and method of the present invention efficiently removes heat from high powered, high current density designed generators.

Abstract: Apparatus for preventing incorrect installation of machinery components together includes a tab, pin and pin-receiving hole. The tab on the seal plate protrudes angularly from its periphery and laterally beyond it so as to prevent incorrect installation of two seal plates together in a faulty sealing relationship with machinery components by their tabs making interfering contact with one another producing a visible gap between the two seal plates. The pin is mounted on and protrudes axially from a surface of one machinery component facing the seal plate and prevents incorrect installation of the machinery components together in a faulty sealing relationship without the seal plate between them by the pin contacting the surface of the other machinery component and producing a gap between the machinery components. The hole extends through the seal plate to receive the pin within it when one seal plate is correctly installed between the machinery components.

Abstract: A high speed aircraft generator may utilize a prefabricated crossover subassembly to interconnect field coils. The crossover may include two attachment leads interconnected with a section of braided wire. The braided wire may remain free of brazing filler metal after the crossover subassembly is brazed into position between field coils of the generator. Consequently, the crossover may remain flexible and may have reduced susceptibility to fatigue failure that may otherwise result from circumferential relative displacement of the field coils from one another during changes of rotational speed of the field coils.

Abstract: An annular bus ring assembly for connecting main rotor windings of a generator to the exciter diodes includes a plurality of annular bus rings with tabs bent over forming plurality of pads mounted on either side of a dielectric hub. The pads of annular bus rings clocked at an angle to each other to generate a pattern of plurality of pads on a equal angle spacing on a diameter to connect to the diodes by wire rope leads and a pattern of two connection at 90° spacing to connect to main generator leads.

Abstract: A high speed aircraft generator may utilize a prefabricated crossover subassembly to interconnect field coils. The crossover may include two attachment leads interconnected with a section of braided wire. The braided wire may remain free of brazing filler metal after the crossover subassembly is brazed into position between field coils of the generator. Consequently, the crossover may remain flexible and may have reduced susceptibility to fatigue failure that may otherwise result from circumferential relative displacement of the field coils from one another during changes of rotational speed of the field coils.

Abstract: An annular bus ring assembly for connecting main rotor windings of a generator to the exciter diodes includes a plurality of annular bus rings with tabs bent over forming plurality of pads mounted on either side of a dielectric hub. The pads of annular bus rings clocked at an angle to each other to generate a pattern of plurality of pads on a equal angle spacing on a diameter to connect to the diodes by wire rope leads and a pattern of two connection at 90° spacing to connect to main generator leads.

Abstract: A rotor balancing system is provided that includes a rotor core, a plurality of core channels, a support wedge, a wedge channel, and balance masses. The rotor core includes an annular section, a first pole, and a second pole. The first and second poles each extend radially outwardly from the annular section and form an interpole region therebetween. The plurality of core channels are formed in the rotor core annular section and extend axially through the rotor core annular section. The support wedge is disposed in the interpole region. The wedge channel is formed in the support wedge and extends therethrough. One or more balance masses are selectively disposed in one or more of the core channels and the wedge channel, and each balance mass is disposed at a predetermined axial location to thereby correct rotor imbalance.

Abstract: A rotor for use in a high speed electrical machine includes a shaft, a plurality of poles, a plurality of coils, and a rotor crossover that is relatively flexible, and that does not crack under the centrifugal forces and the mechanical and thermal cycles encountered during machine operation, startup, and shutdown. The poles extend radially outwardly from the shaft and are spaced apart from each other to form an interpole region, and the coils are wrapped around the poles. The rotor crossover is coupled between selected ones of the coils, and includes a stranded wire conductor and an insulator.

Abstract: An outflow valve is disclosed for use in a pressure vessel. The outflow valve includes a dual wall valve housing having a central bore, a butterfly plate assembly and an angled drive shaft. The butterfly plate assembly is designed to fit and rotate within the central bore. The angled drive shaft has first and second ends rotateably coupled to the dual wall valve housing, and the angled drive shaft is attached to the butterfly plate. The drive shaft is designed to rotate the butterfly plate assembly between a closed position and an open position within the central bore.

Abstract: A rectifier hub and associated cooling method provide increased cooling efficiency for rotating rectifier diodes in a dry cavity generator. The rectifier hub has an inner and an outer circumferential surface and includes at least one pair of flow passages, and at least one flow channel. Each pair of flow passages extends between the hub inner and outer circumferential surfaces, and each flow channel is formed in the hub outer circumferential surface and couples the pair of flow passages in fluid communication with one another. This configuration allows a cooling medium to flow directly across the rectifier hub and cool the rectifier diodes mounted within drive cavities formed in the hub.

Abstract: The coil end-turn segments of a generator exciter rotor are retained using an end-turn retention assembly that includes an inner band and an outer band. The inner band is located around at least a portion of each of the end-turn segments and has two ends. The outer peripheral surface of the inner band is tapered such that the thickness of the inner band varies between its ends. The outer band is located around the inner band and also has two ends. The inner peripheral surface of the outer band is tapered in a fashion that is reverse to that of the inner band outer surface, and such that the outer band thickness varies between its ends. By forming oppositely configured tapers in the inner and outer bands, the outer bands will remain in place and not migrate axially away from the lamination core during exciter rotor rotation.

Abstract: A rectifier hub and associated cooling method provide increased cooling efficiency for rotating rectifier diodes in a dry cavity generator. The rectifier hub has an inner and an outer circumferential surface and includes at least one pair of flow passages, and at least one flow channel. Each pair of flow passages extends between the hub inner and outer circumferential surfaces, and each flow channel is formed in the hub outer circumferential surface and couples the pair of flow passages in fluid communication with one another. This configuration allows a cooling medium to flow directly across the rectifier hub and cool the rectifier diodes mounted within drive cavities formed in the hub.