# US 10,312,781 B2 · Multiple coil electric generator in turbine engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,312,781 B2 - Document ID: US10312781B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/286,165 - Filed: 2016-10-05 - Published: 2018-04-05 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-05 - Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc. - Applicants: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Bradley Eugene Auker; Edward Claude Rice - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312781B2 ## CPC - H02K 16/02: Machines with one stator and two {or more} rotors - F02C 7/32: Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries - H02K 7/1823: {structurally associated with turbines or similar engines} - H02K 21/12: with stationary armatures and rotating magnets - F05D 2220/76: an electrical generator - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract A turbine engine is described that includes a drive shaft and an electric generator, wherein the electric generator includes a first rotating element comprising a first magnet array and mechanically coupled to the drive shaft. The electric generator further includes a second rotating element comprising a second magnet array and mechanically coupled to the drive shaft and an armature comprising a first coil array and a second coil array, wherein the first rotating element is configured to rotate at a particular velocity relative to the first coil array, and the second rotating element is configured to rotate at the particular velocity relative to the second coil array. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A turbine engine comprising: a drive shaft; a first gearbox; a second gearbox; and an electric generator comprising: a first rotating element comprising a first magnet array and mechanically coupled to the drive shaft by at least the first gearbox; a second rotating element comprising a second magnet array and mechanically coupled to the drive shaft by at least the second gearbox, wherein a distance from the first rotating element to the drive shaft is longer than a distance from the second rotating element to the drive shaft; and an armature comprising a first coil array and a second coil array, wherein the first gearbox is configured to cause the first rotating element to rotate at a first angular velocity and at a tangential velocity relative to the first coil array, and wherein the second gearbox is configured to cause the second rotating element to rotate at a second angular velocity and at the tangential velocity relative to the second coil array, the first angular velocity being different than the second angular velocity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein: the first coil array is configured to produce a first alternating-current (AC) electrical current having a particular frequency and a particular phase; and the second coil array is configured to produce a second AC electrical current having the particular frequency and the particular phase of the first AC electrical current. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein a first tangential width of each magnetic element of the first magnet array is equal to a second tangential width of each magnetic element of the second magnet array. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein a first tangential width of each coil element of the first coil array is equal to a second tangential width of each coil element of the second coil array. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein: the first coil array is positioned adjacent to the first magnet array; the second coil array is positioned adjacent to the second magnet array; a quantity of magnetic elements in the first magnet array is equal to a quantity of coil elements in the first coil array; and a quantity of magnetic elements in the second magnet array is equal to a quantity of coil elements in the second coil array. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The turbine engine of claim 5, wherein: the first angular velocity is slower than the second angular velocity; and the quantity of magnetic elements in the first rotating element is more than the quantity of magnetic elements in the second rotating element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein each magnetic element of the first magnet array is configured to pass over a respective coil element of the first coil array concurrently with each magnetic element of the second magnet array passing over a respective coil element of the second coil array. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein each magnetic element of the first magnet array is configured to pass over a respective coil element of the first coil array at a rate that is equal to a rate at which each magnetic element of the second magnet array passes over a respective coil element of the second coil array. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein each magnetic element of the magnetic elements in the first magnet array and each magnetic element of the magnetic elements in the second magnet array is configured to pass over a respective coil element in the first coil array or in the second coil array with equal frequency. ### Claim 10 A method comprising: receiving, at a first rotating element of an electric generator of a turbine engine, via a first gearbox coupled to a drive shaft of the turbine engine, first mechanical power to cause the first rotating element to rotate at a first angular velocity and at a tangential velocity relative to a first coil array of the electric generator; receiving, at a second rotating element of the electric generator, via a second gearbox coupled to the drive shaft, second mechanical power to cause the second rotating element to rotate at a second angular velocity and at the tangential velocity relative to a second coil array of the electric generator, the first angular velocity being different than the second angular velocity, wherein a distance from the first rotating element to the drive shaft is longer than a distance from the second rotating element to the drive shaft; generating, at the first coil array and based on the first mechanical power, first electrical current; generating, at the second coil array and based on the second mechanical power, second electrical current; and outputting, by an electrical output element of the electric generator, to an electrical load, the first electrical current and the second electrical current. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein: generating the first electrical current comprises generating a first alternating-current (AC) electrical current having a particular frequency and a particular phase; and generating the second electrical current comprises generating a second AC electrical current having the particular frequency and the particular phase of the first AC electrical current. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein a first tangential width of a first magnetic element of a first magnet array of the first rotating element is equal to a second tangential width of a second magnetic element of a second magnet array of the second rotating element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein a first tangential width of a first coil element of the first coil array is equal to a second tangential width of a second coil element of the second coil array. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein: a quantity of magnetic elements in a first magnet array of the first rotating element is equal to a quantity of coil elements in the first coil array; and a quantity of magnetic elements in a second magnet array of the second rotating element is equal to a quantity of coil elements in the second coil array. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein: the first angular velocity is slower than the second angular velocity; and a quantity of magnetic elements in the first rotating element is more than a quantity of magnetic elements in the second rotating element. ### Claim 16 A turbine engine comprising: a drive shaft; a first gearbox; a second gearbox; and an electric generator comprising: a first rotating element comprising a first magnet array and mechanically coupled to the drive shaft by at least the first gearbox; a second rotating element comprising a second magnet array and mechanically coupled to the drive shaft by at least the second gearbox, wherein a distance from the first rotating element to the drive shaft is longer than a distance from the second rotating element to the drive shaft; and an armature comprising a first coil array and a second coil array, wherein the first coil array is configured to produce a first alternating-current (AC) electrical current having a particular frequency and a particular phase, the second coil array is configured to produce a second AC electrical current having the particular frequency and the particular phase of the first AC electrical current, wherein each magnetic element of the first magnet array is configured to pass over a respective coil element of the first coil array concurrently with each magnetic element of the second magnet array passing over a respective coil element of the second coil array, wherein the first gearbox is configured to cause the first rotating element to rotate at a first angular velocity and at a tangential velocity relative to the first coil array, and wherein the second gearbox is configured to cause the second rotating element to rotate at a second angular velocity and at the tangential velocity relative to the second coil array, the first angular velocity being different than the second angular velocity. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The turbine engine of claim 16, wherein a first tangential width of each magnetic element of the first magnet array is equal to a second tangential width of each magnetic element of the second magnet array. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The turbine engine of claim 16, wherein a first tangential width of each coil element of the first coil array is equal to a second tangential width of each coil element of the second coil array. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The turbine engine of claim 16, wherein the first coil array is positioned adjacent to the first magnet array, wherein the second coil array is positioned adjacent to the second magnet array, wherein a quantity of magnetic elements in the first magnet array is equal to a quantity of coil elements in the first coil array, and wherein a quantity of magnetic elements in the second magnet array is equal to a quantity of coil elements in the second coil array. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The turbine engine of claim 19, wherein the first angular velocity is slower than the second angular velocity, and wherein the quantity of magnetic elements in the first rotating element is more than the quantity of magnetic elements in the second rotating element.