Dynamoelectric Machine (e.g., Motor, Generator, Etc.), Rotational System Or Device (e.g., Clutch, Rotor, Bearing, Etc.), Or Components Thereof Patents (Class 505/166)
  • Patent number: 9593881
    Abstract: Provided is a natural gas processing facility for the liquefaction or regasification of natural gas. The facility includes a primary processing unit, e.g., refrigeration unit, for warming natural gas or chilling natural gas to at least a temperature of liquefaction. The facility also has superconducting electrical components integrated into the facility. The superconducting electrical components incorporate superconducting material so as to improve electrical efficiency of the facility by at least one percent over what would be experienced through the use of conventional electrical components. The superconducting electrical components may be one or more motors, one or more generators, one or more transformers, switch gears, one or more electrical transmission conductors, variable speed drives, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Eric D Nelson, Peter C Rasmussen, John B Stone, Stanley O Uptigrove
  • Patent number: 9240270
    Abstract: A magnetic coupler is disclosed for wireless power transfer systems. A ferrimagnetic component is capable of guiding a magnetic field. A wire coil is wrapped around at least a portion of the ferrimagnetic component. A screen is capable of blocking leakage magnetic fields. The screen may be positioned to cover at least one side of the ferrimagnetic component and the coil. A distance across the screen may be at least six times an air gap distance between the ferrimagnetic component and a receiving magnetic coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Utah State University
    Inventors: Hunter Wu, Aaron Gilchrist, Kylee Sealy
  • Publication number: 20150133303
    Abstract: An electrical generator is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: TransLife Energy Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul M. Gregory
  • Publication number: 20150111752
    Abstract: A number of configurations of a high speed electromagnetic turbine (1300) are discussed. The turbine (1300) includes a housing (1301) includes at least superconducting coil (1307) for the generation of a magnetic field, the coil being retained within a cryogenic envelope of a cryogenic body (1306). The turbine (1300) includes also includes rotor assembly including one or more rotors (13091), (13092), (13093), (13094), (13095) and (13096) positioned on shaft (1310). The rotor being received within the bore (1308) formed between the interior walls of the body (1306) such that it is immersed in the magnetic field. As the current is passed through the rotor assembly the induced force due to the interaction of the current with the magnetic is translated into a torque on the shaft (1310).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: HERON ENERGY PTE LTD
    Inventors: Ante Guina, John Kells, Kurt Labes, Stuart Galt, Johannes S. De Beer, David B.T. Sercombe, Rene Fuger
  • Patent number: 9013126
    Abstract: In order to store excess kinetic energy, an energy storage device and an operating method are described, in which the kinetic energy can be partially converted into electrical energy by a first electric machine using at least two electric machines arranged on a shaft and can be partially converted into additional kinetic energy, such as rotational energy, by a second electric machine. The method for energy storage of excess kinetic energy provides for converting kinetic energy partially into electric energy and partially into additional kinetic energy, such as rotational energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Georg Bachmaier, Dominik Bergmann, Matthias Gerlich, Guillaume Pais, Christian Tump
  • Publication number: 20150018219
    Abstract: A field rotor of a superconducting rotary machine, includes a rotary shaft, a plurality of coil boxes, and a plurality of superconducting coils; wherein the coil boxes extend in a center axis direction of the rotary shaft, have walls defining spaces within the coil boxes, respectively, and are removably fastened to a peripheral surface of the rotary shaft; wherein the superconducting coils are disposed in the spaces of the coil boxes, respectively, and constitute field windings of the superconducting rotary machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuya Umemoto, Yoshichika Sato, Satoru Takao
  • Publication number: 20150018217
    Abstract: A superconductor-magnet bearing system can include a first bearing portion and a second bearing portion. One of the first and second bearing portions can be at least partially composed of a high-temperature superconductor (HTS) and another can be at least partially composed of a magnet. The first bearing portion can be disposed at least partially within an opening of the second bearing portion with a gap between the first and second portions. A magnetic bearing portion can include a plurality of rings disposed next to one another. An HTS bearing portion can include a magnet. The bearing portions can be biased toward an alignment with one another. One bearing portion can rotate relative to another bearing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventor: BenMaan I. Jawdat
  • Patent number: 8886266
    Abstract: A superconducting coil and a rotating device, the performances of which are improved, and a superconducting coil manufacturing method are provided. A superconducting coil 10 is a saddle-shaped superconducting coil formed by winding a superconducting wire so as to form a race-track-like shape. The superconducting coil includes a curved portion 10b and a straight portion 10a connected to the curved portion 10b. In the curved portion 10b, an upper edge 10c is positioned closer to an inner peripheral side than a lower edge 10d is, and in the straight portion 10a, the upper edge 10c is positioned closer to an outer peripheral side than the lower edge 10d is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Shinzato, Hitoshi Oyama, Yutaka Komatsu, Takeshi Baba, Takeshi Ariyoshi
  • Publication number: 20140247022
    Abstract: A superconducting machine is disclosed, in particular for use as a generator in a stand-alone power system. In at least one embodiment, the superconducting machine includes a stator and a rotor capable of rotating with respect to the stator. At least one superconducting coil for generating at least two magnetic poles is provided on at least one component part, in particular the rotor, which superconducting coil is cooled via a cooling device; and at least two parallel winding elements are provided on the respective other component part, in particular the stator, in the armature winding for each phase, which winding elements can be connected either in series or in parallel via at least one switching device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Joachim Frauenhofer, Jörn Grundmann, Rainer Hartig, Peter Kummeth, Peter Van Hasselt
  • Patent number: 8787998
    Abstract: A superconducting coil apparatus and a superconducting apparatus including the superconducting coil apparatus are provided. The superconducting coil apparatus includes a superconducting coil 10, an inner container 50 that holds the superconducting coil 10 therein, and an outer container 60. The inner container 50 and the outer container 60 are made of FRP. At a corner portion 71 of the inner container 50 and the outer container 60, a sealing reinforcement portion 2 made of a resin is formed so as to extend along the corner portion 71. Opening portions 53 and 63 are formed in side surfaces of the inner container 50 and the outer container 60. The sealing reinforcement portion 2 is disposed at the corner portion 71 of the opening portions 53 and 63, whereby the sealing performance of the container can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Shinzato, Hitoshi Oyama
  • Publication number: 20140183875
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for direct energy conversion that combines the properties of Type II superconductor thin films, including the Meissner effect to create vortices to control and modulate static flux coupled in a magnetic circuit, where the laws of induction are used to produce an electrical signal without the use of moving armatures. The dynamics of magnetic flux modulation results from suppression of superconductivity and the Meissner effect by external photon irradiation. The apparatus employs a vortex channel based on the Meissner Effect, a laser, a permanent magnet, fiber optics for carrying the laser beam to the vortex channel, and a transformer composed of two separate windings. The transformer windings are arranged in a circuit having a first path through the permanent magnet and a first coil of the transformer windings; and a second path through the permanent magnet, the vortex channel, and the second coil of the transfer windings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Inventor: Eddie Sines
  • Publication number: 20140100115
    Abstract: A rotor for an electric machine includes a pole core having a coolable magnetisable rotor section which is made of a super-conducting material. The rotor section has a rotationally symmetric geometry. The pole core is formed as a cylinder and the rotor section is arranged on an outer surface of the cylinder so as to be encircling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Peter Kummeth, Heinz Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8692433
    Abstract: A rotor (or a stator) for a superconducting electrical machine includes a mounting that is maintained at substantially ambient temperature during operation of the electrical machine and a field coil support structure. A plurality of superconducting field coils are maintained at cryogenic temperatures during operation of the electrical machine and are supported by the field coil support structure. At least one coupling element is used to fix the field coil support structure to the mounting. The field coil support structure is preferably fixed to the mounting by a plurality of substantially circumferentially extending coupling elements at a first and second axial end of the field coil support structure and the mounting such that the mounting and field coil support structure are substantially separated over their axial lengths by a vacuum gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: GE Energy Power Conversion Technology Limited
    Inventors: Joseph Eugene, Graham Derek Le Flem
  • Patent number: 8688181
    Abstract: A new class of superconducting compositions, and methods for making and using them are described. These compositions exhibit superconductivity at temperatures in excess of 26° K. and are comprised of transition metal oxides having at least one additional element therein which may create a multivalent state of the transition metal oxide. The composition can be a ceramic-like material having a layer-like crystalline structure, where the structure is distorted having either an oxygen excess or deficiency. An example is RE-AE-TM-O, where RE is a rare earth or rare earth-like element, AE is an alkaline earth element, TM is a transition metal element (such as Cu) and O is oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes Georg Bednorz, Carl Alexander Mueller
  • Patent number: 8630688
    Abstract: A winding for use in a superconducting electric generator having a rotating rotor assembly surrounded by a non-rotating stator assembly is provided. The winding comprises at least one conductor structure associated with a component in the superconducting electric generator. The conductor structure comprises a plurality of conductive elements formed from a high temperature superconductive material. At least a portion of the conductive elements is arranged in a transposed relationship. A protective shell is positioned about the conductive elements and formed from a high strength alloy suitable for cryogenic temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiping Zhang, William R. McCown
  • Publication number: 20130261001
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for incorporating a plurality of independently rotating rotors made from high-strength materials with a high-temperature superconductive (HTS) bearing technology into an open-core flywheel architecture to achieve a desired high energy density in the flywheel energy storage devices and to obtain superior results and performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: John R. Hull, Michael Strasik, John A. Mittleider, Mark S. Wilenski, Michael P. Kozar
  • Publication number: 20130261000
    Abstract: A rotating machine includes a stator and a rotor configured to rotate within the stator. Rotor windings are supported in the rotor and are formed of a laminated electrical conductor in a single-layer saddle coil configuration. The conductor includes a first support lamina, a second support lamina, an insert including a high temperature superconductor disposed between the first and second support lamina, and a filler material surrounding the insert that bonds the insert to each of the first and second support lamina. At the location between the first support lamina and second support lamina corresponding to the location of the insert, the width dimension of the filler material on each side of the insert is at least 10 percent of a width of the conductor. The conductor is configured to carry at least 600 Amperes per turn and have a C-axis tensile strength of at least 21 MPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Tanner, Gregory L. Snitchler, William L. Carter, Eric R. Podtburg
  • Publication number: 20130260999
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems and methods are described for a flywheel system incorporating a rotor made from a high-strength material in an open-core flywheel architecture with a high-temperature superconductive (HTS) bearing technology to achieve the desired high energy density in the flywheel energy storage devices, to obtain superior results and performance, and that eliminates the material growth-matching problem and obviates radial growth and bending mode issues that otherwise occur at various high frequencies and speeds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: John R. Hull, Michael Strasik, John A. Mittleider
  • Publication number: 20130252819
    Abstract: A cryo-magnetic motor is described. The motor includes a magnetic rotor having a first portion and a second portion. The motor can also include a stator assembly having an insulated casing, a liquid chamber, and a superconducting plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Inventor: Yuriy Zakuskin
  • Publication number: 20130172196
    Abstract: A high-temperature superconductor (HTS) coil includes a coil winding with a superconducting material and a coil former for carrying the coil winding. When the high-temperature supercon-ductor (HTS) coil cools down from a room temperature to an operating temperature, the coil winding or the coil former counteract a thermal shrinkage of the coil winding in order to avoid or reduce a longitudinal compression of the superconducting material of the coil winding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventors: Wolfgang Nick, Marijn Pieter Oomen
  • Publication number: 20130154272
    Abstract: A wind turbine having a wind turbine tower with a nacelle; a wind turbine rotor hub with at least one rotatably mounted wind turbine blade; a shaft coupled to the wind turbine rotor hub and a generator. The generator has a rotor with at least one superconducting rotor coil arranged rotatably relative to a stator having at least one stator coil. The rotor is arranged in a rotor housing and the stator is arranged in a stator housing, the housings being separated by a rotor-stator gap. The stator housing has a stator inner shell and a stator outer shell connected together by at least one stator housing end plate. The stator inner shell has a first inner shell element attached to a stator iron which is connected to a second inner shell element. A pressure plate is attached to the second inner shell element and the stator outer shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: ENVISION ENERGY (DENMARK) APS
    Inventor: ENVISION ENERGY (DENMARK) APS
  • Patent number: 8437816
    Abstract: An oscillator and method for applying a time-varying force to a magnet is provided. The oscillator includes a superconductor material at a temperature. The superconductor material is in a superconducting state in the presence of an external magnetic field below a critical field strength, wherein the critical field strength is a function of the temperature of the superconductor material. The oscillator further includes at least one magnetic field source configured to apply a magnetic field having a time-varying field strength to the superconductor material. The time-varying field strength cycles between at least a first field strength below the critical field strength for the superconductor material at the temperature and at least a second field strength above the critical field strength for the superconductor material at the temperature, such that the superconductor material cycles between a superconducting state and a non-superconducting state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Vaucher Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Alexander R. Vaucher
  • Patent number: 8437815
    Abstract: A motor and a method of operating the motor are provided. The motor includes a stator including a high-temperature superconductor material at a temperature. The superconductor material is in a superconducting state in the presence of an external magnetic field below a critical field strength, wherein the critical field strength is a function of the temperature of the superconductor material. The motor further includes a rotor including a plurality of permanent magnets and configured to rotate about an axis, wherein each magnet of the plurality of permanent magnets has a magnetic field that interacts with the superconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Vaucher Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Alexander R. Vaucher
  • Patent number: 8437817
    Abstract: A motor and method of operation are provided. The motor includes a plurality of cylinders, wherein at least two of the cylinders are positioned at a non-zero angle relative to one another. Each cylinder includes a piston configured to move within the cylinder and a high-temperature superconductor material in a superconducting state in the presence of an external magnetic field below a critical field strength, wherein the critical field strength is a function of the temperature of the superconductor material. Each cylinder further includes a permanent magnet mechanically coupled to the piston and configured to move within the cylinder and to have a magnetic field that interacts with the superconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Vaucher Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Alexander R. Vaucher
  • Patent number: 8401599
    Abstract: An alternating current (AC) generator and method of operating the generator are provided. The generator includes a pair of two opposing cylinders. Each cylinder includes a high-temperature superconductor material at a temperature. The superconductor material is in a superconducting state in the presence of an external magnetic field below a critical field strength, wherein the critical field strength is a function of the temperature of the superconductor material. A sum of a non-zero time-invariant magnetic field strength and a time-varying magnetic field strength cycles between at least a first field strength below the critical field strength for the superconductor material at the temperature and at least a second field strength above the critical field strength for the superconductor material at the temperature, such that the superconductor material cycles between a superconducting state and a non-superconducting state. The generator further includes a piston configured to move within the two cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Vaucher Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander R. Vaucher, Michael P. Miller
  • Patent number: 8396522
    Abstract: A motor and a method of operating the motor are provided. The motor includes a plurality of cylinders. Each cylinder includes a piston configured to move within the cylinder. Each cylinder further includes a high-temperature superconductor material at a temperature. The superconductor material is in a superconducting state in the presence of an external magnetic field below a critical field strength, wherein the critical field strength is a function of the temperature of the superconductor material. Each cylinder further includes a permanent magnet mechanically coupled to the piston and configured to move within the cylinder and to have a magnetic field that interacts with the superconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Vaucher Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander R. Vaucher, Michael P. Miller, Peter A. Vaucher
  • Patent number: 8396523
    Abstract: A motor and method of operating the motor are provided. The motor includes a plurality of cylinders arranged in a ring relative to one another and positioned at a non-zero angle relative to one another. Each cylinder includes a piston configured to move within the cylinder. Each cylinder further includes a high-temperature superconductor material in a superconducting state in the presence of an external magnetic field below a critical field strength, wherein the critical field strength is a function of the temperature of the superconductor material. Each cylinder further includes a permanent magnet mechanically coupled to the piston and configured to move within the cylinder and to have a magnetic field that interacts with the superconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Vaucher Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander R. Vaucher, Michael P. Miller
  • Publication number: 20130005579
    Abstract: A motor and method of operating the motor are provided. The motor includes a plurality of cylinders arranged in a ring relative to one another and positioned at a non-zero angle relative to one another. Each cylinder includes a piston configured to move within the cylinder. Each cylinder further includes a high-temperature superconductor material in a superconducting state in the presence of an external magnetic field below a critical field strength, wherein the critical field strength is a function of the temperature of the superconductor material. Each cylinder further includes a permanent magnet mechanically coupled to the piston and configured to move within the cylinder and to have a magnetic field that interacts with the superconductor material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Alexander R. Vaucher, Michael P. Miller
  • Publication number: 20120302112
    Abstract: A ship drive system includes a first and one second drive shaft for driving a respective propulsion unit, wherein each of the electric drive shafts includes at least one speed-variable generator driven by an internal combustion engine for generating a motor voltage having a variable amplitude and variable frequency, and at least one speed-variable drive motor that is supplied with the voltage and coupled to the propulsion unit. The first and second drive shafts can be switched from a first operating state, in which they are electrically disconnected from each other, to a second operating state, in which they are electrically coupled to each other such energy can be transmitted from the at least one generator of the one drive shaft to the at least one drive motor of the other drive shaft. To this end, the at least one generator includes a superconductor winding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Rainer Hartig, Kay Tigges, Michael Wycisk
  • Publication number: 20120190554
    Abstract: An electric drive shaft is disclosed including at least one speed-variable generator for generating a voltage with a variable amplitude and a variable frequency, and at least one speed-variable drive motor supplied with the voltage. The drive shaft enables repercussions on the voltage during sudden load changes, and therefore the complexity of the regulation for stabilising the voltage, to be reduced due to the generator including a supraconductor winding, especially a high-temperature supraconductor winding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Rainer Hartig
  • Patent number: 8204562
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a superconducting field coil of a homopolar type superconducting synchronous machine. The superconducting synchronous machine includes a superconducting field coil which comprises a single or double pancake coil formed by winding a superconducting wire, a core-type rotor which is made of a magnetic material, and an armature winding excited to three phases on a surface of a core of a stator. The field coil of the homopolar type superconducting synchronous machine is not rotated when the machine is in operation. Thus, there is no part for coupling the rotating field coil to a stationary cryo-cooler for cooling a refrigerant, so that the structure is simple, reliability is high, and various cooling methods are available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute
    Inventors: Young Kil Kwon, Ho Min Kim, Seung Kyu Baik, Eon Young Lee, Jae Deuk Lee, Sang Ho Lee, Yeong Chun Kim, Young Sik Jo, Gang Sik Ryu
  • Publication number: 20120129700
    Abstract: A linear machine comprises a primary part and a secondary part. The primary part forms a receptacle around an axis and has a plurality of annular primary coils, which are arranged concentrically with respect to the axis, can have alternating current applied to them, and are separated by intermediate elements, in order to produce a magnetic field in the receptacle. The secondary part, which can be moved relative to the primary part by the magnetic field in the receptacle along the axis, is provided with secondary coils having superconductor windings. In order to produce a linear motor which allows high force densities, the intermediate elements are produced from non-magnetizable material and the primary coils and the secondary coils are arranged with an air-gap winding, wherein the secondary coils are manufactured from a high-temperature superconductor and direct current can be applied or is applied to them. Force densities of more than 18 N/cm2 can be achieved in the receptacle by the linear motors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventors: Jan Wiezoreck, Ingolf Hahn, Carsten Bührer, Jakob Fallkowski
  • Publication number: 20120046174
    Abstract: An alternating current (AC) generator and method of operating the generator are provided. The generator includes a pair of two opposing cylinders. Each cylinder includes a high-temperature superconductor material at a temperature. The superconductor material is in a superconducting state in the presence of an external magnetic field below a critical field strength, wherein the critical field strength is a function of the temperature of the superconductor material. A sum of a non-zero time-invariant magnetic field strength and a time-varying magnetic field strength cycles between at least a first field strength below the critical field strength for the superconductor material at the temperature and at least a second field strength above the critical field strength for the superconductor material at the temperature, such that the superconductor material cycles between a superconducting state and a non-superconducting state. The generator further includes a piston configured to move within the two cylinders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Inventors: Alexander R. Vaucher, Michael P. Miller
  • Publication number: 20120021916
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for heating a sheet material made of an electrically conductive, non-magnetic material, the apparatus including at least one coil arrangement with DC-carrying windings that is made to rotate around an axis oriented perpendicular to the sheet material and to thereby induce eddy currents in the sheet material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: ZENERGY POWER GMBH
    Inventors: Carsten Buehrer, Christoph Fuelbier, Jens Krause
  • Publication number: 20120010081
    Abstract: A motor and a method of operating the motor are provided. The motor includes a stator including a high-temperature superconductor material at a temperature. The superconductor material is in a superconducting state in the presence of an external magnetic field below a critical field strength, wherein the critical field strength is a function of the temperature of the superconductor material. The motor further includes a rotor including a plurality of permanent magnets and configured to rotate about an axis, wherein each magnet of the plurality of permanent magnets has a magnetic field that interacts with the superconductor material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventor: Alexander R. Vaucher
  • Publication number: 20120010080
    Abstract: A motor and a method of operating the motor are provided. The motor includes a plurality of cylinders. Each cylinder includes a piston configured to move within the cylinder. Each cylinder further includes a high-temperature superconductor material at a temperature. The superconductor material is in a superconducting state in the presence of an external magnetic field below a critical field strength, wherein the critical field strength is a function of the temperature of the superconductor material. Each cylinder further includes a permanent magnet mechanically coupled to the piston and configured to move within the cylinder and to have a magnetic field that interacts with the superconductor material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: Alexander R. Vaucher, Michael P. Miller, Peter A. Vaucher
  • Publication number: 20120010082
    Abstract: A motor and method of operation are provided. The motor includes a plurality of cylinders, wherein at least two of the cylinders are positioned at a non-zero angle relative to one another. Each cylinder includes a piston configured to move within the cylinder and a high-temperature superconductor material in a superconducting state in the presence of an external magnetic field below a critical field strength, wherein the critical field strength is a function of the temperature of the superconductor material. Each cylinder further includes a permanent magnet mechanically coupled to the piston and configured to move within the cylinder and to have a magnetic field that interacts with the superconductor material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventor: Alexander R. Vaucher
  • Patent number: 8078242
    Abstract: An electromechanical power converter that has a rotor assembly with a conductive shell, a first conductor made from superconducting material that is in series electrical contact with the conductive shell and a second conductor made from superconducting material and in series electrical contact with said conductive shell, thus providing an internal impedance converting electromechanical power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Dynamo Capital, Inc.
    Inventor: Dieter Wolfgang Blum
  • Publication number: 20110285219
    Abstract: The present application and the resultant patent provide a superconducting electrical machine. The superconducting electrical machine may include an armature coil made of a high temperature superconducting material, a cooling system, and a field coil. The cooling system may include a cryostat surrounding the armature coil and a foam insulation surrounding the cryostat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Tao Zhang, Evangelos Laskaris, Manoj Shah, James Bray, Kiruba Sivasubramaniam Haran
  • Patent number: 8060169
    Abstract: A new class of superconducting compositions, and methods for making and using them are described. These compositions exhibit superconductivity at temperatures in excess of 26° K. and are comprised of transition metal oxides having at least one additional element therein which may create a multi-valent state of the transition metal oxide. The composition can be a ceramic-like material having a layer-like crystalline structure, where the structure is distorted having either an oxygen excess or deficiency. An example is RE-AE-TM-O, where RE is a rare earth or rare earth-like element, AE is an alkaline earth element, TM is a transition metal element (such as Cu) and O is oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes Georg Bednorz, Carl Alexander Mueller
  • Publication number: 20110248509
    Abstract: A stator assembly for use in a superconducting generator operated at frequencies up to 10 Hz is disclosed. The stator assembly includes a ferromagnetic stator winding support having a plurality of teeth defining slots, the slots configured to receive and support stator windings. The stator winding support is formed so that the ratio of the sum of the widths of the slots to the sum of the widths of the teeth and slots is in the range of 0.65 to 0.90.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory L. Snitchler, Timothy MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20110227544
    Abstract: An exciter assembly for supplying a field current to the rotor windings of a superconducting synchronous machine includes a pulse transformer having a stationary primary winding, a secondary winding and a tertiary winding. A switched mode power supply supplies a pulsed voltage to the primary winding of the pulse transformer. The pulsed voltage developed at the secondary winding of the pulse transformer is supplied to the rotor windings through a pair of transfer leads. A controller controls synchronous rectification of the pulsed voltage supplied to the rotor windings based on a signal from the tertiary winding of the pulse transformer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: Converteam UK Ltd
    Inventor: Allan David CRANE
  • Patent number: 8008826
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods provide for a high specific power electro-dynamo device that utilizes high-temperature superconductors, a dysprosium core, and superconducting coils to provide power. According to various embodiments, a rotor includes a number of rotor arms with a high-temperature superconductor attached to each arm. A stator includes a number of stator arms with stator coils wrapped around each arm. The stator coils may include superconducting wires for providing a charge to the high-temperature superconductors and non-superconducting wires for inducing a voltage from the trapped flux provided by the superconductors during operation in generator mode. The dysprosium core maximizes the magnetic flux saturated by the core while providing additional safety measures during operation. A backup power wheel or permanent magnets positioned in series with the high-temperature superconductors may provide emergency power at non-cryogenic temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: John R. Hull, Michael Strasik
  • Patent number: 7983726
    Abstract: A generator that comprises at least one ferromagnetic core including a gap, a magnet capable of producing a normal magnetic field within said gap and at least one coil positioned within the normal magnetic field on the core. At least one diamagnet that is positioned to pass through said gap on said core, wherein the diamagnet momentarily blocks the normal magnetic field causing a voltage to be induced within said coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Inventor: Andrew Abolafia
  • Publication number: 20110148238
    Abstract: The present invention relates to cylindrical rotating electric machines which comprise armature and field source, with either the field source or the dual armature being the rotating component. The dual armature is composed of two concentric cylindrical sets of coils with the field source situated in the gap between the inner and outer armature sections. Relative rotational motion between the field source and armature coils can be achieved by having either one be the rotor. By using two armature coil sections, one inside the field source aperture and the other external to the field source, the flux linkage between the armature and field source can be approximately doubled. The increased flux linkage in the invented technology produces a substantially higher power density than can be obtained with conventional machine technology.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Carl L. Goodzeit, Millicent J. Ball
  • Patent number: 7944105
    Abstract: A superconductive synchronous machine having superconductive magnetic bearings. A superconductor (6) on the stator side as a first bearing part is disposed opposite from a second bearing part (12) on the rotor side, the second being part being magnetically and mechanically connected via a flux feed section (11) to the pole core (9) of the rotor. A superconductive exciting coil (10) in the rotor pole core (9) excites both the pole core (9) and the second bearing part (12). In order to cool the superconductive exciting coil (10), coolant feeds (16, 16?, 24, 25) are provided, which are sealed in relation to the rotor shaft (8, 8?) by ferrofluid seals (26). The power for the exciting coil is fed via slip rings (21) or by being inductively connected (29) at the rotor shaft (8?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Kummeth
  • Publication number: 20110089780
    Abstract: A magnetic bearing with high-temperature superconductor elements which has a stator and a rotor, which is held such that it can rotate with respect to the stator and is mounted in an axially and radially self-regulating manner in the stator. A body of a Type-2 superconductor, in particular a high-temperature superconductor, is provided on the rotor. The stator has a coil of a superconducting material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Sergej Schwarz
  • Publication number: 20110084566
    Abstract: The main problem to be solved by the invention is to provide a superconductive rotor, a superconductive rotating machine and a superconductive rotating-machine system which are capable of inductive and synchronous rotation while employing the induction machine configuration and also offer satisfactory heat dissipation performance, stability under an excessive load, and easy magnetic flux trap for synchronous rotation. To solve the problem, the invention provides a superconductive rotor, as shown in FIG.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2008
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Inventor: Taketsune Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20110025146
    Abstract: The present invention relates to cylindrical rotating electric machines which comprise armature and field coils, with either the field coil or the dual armature being the rotating component. The dual armature is composed of two concentric cylindrical sets of coils with the field coil situated in the gap between the inner and outer armature sections. Relative rotational motion between the field and armature coils can be achieved by having either one be the rotor. By using two armature coil sections, one inside the field coil aperture and the other external to the field coil, the flux linkage between the armature and superconducting field coil can be approximately doubled. This is a more efficient use of the superconductor. The increased flux linkage in the invented technology produces a substantially higher power density than can be obtained with current conventional superconducting machine technology.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Carl L. Goodzeit, Millicent J. Ball
  • Patent number: 7872393
    Abstract: Stators 12 and 13 are disposed with required air gaps in an axial direction of a rotor 11 so as to face each other, a plurality of field bodies 15 or permanent magnets 33 are disposed in the rotor 11, and a plurality of armature coils 17 and 19 are disposed in the stators 12 and 13 around the axis. At least one of the field bodies 15 or permanent magnets 33 and the armature coils 17 and 19 are formed from a superconductive material such that their magnetic flux directions are directed to the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industires Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Okazaki, Shingo Ohashi, Hidehiko Sugimoto, Toshio Takeda