Vapor trap for supercooled rotor
AssigneeElectric Power Research Institute, Inc.
InventorPhillip W. Eckels
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vapor trap is placed in fluid communication with the vapor exhaust pipe of a supercooled rotor between, and in fluid communication with, the helium reservoir of the supercooled rotor and the portion of the exhaust pipe which is in contact with the torque tube of the rotor. By preventing a reverse flow of heated helium gas through the exhaust pipe toward the helium reservoir, the vapor trap of the present invention improves the operation of the rotor's vapor pump. Operating in a manner similar to liquid traps, the present invention blocks the passage of heated helium vapor in a reverse direction and thus improves the overall operation of the supercooled rotor.
Claims4
A supercooled rotor, comprising:
- a coolant reservoir;
- a torque tube;
- an exhaust pipe connected in fluid communication with said coolant reservoir, said exhaust pipe being disposed within a central bore of said torque tube, a first portion of said exhaust pipe being disposed in contact with said torque tube, said first portion of said exhaust pipe having a plurality of baffles disposed therein;
- a vapor trap disposed in fluid communication with said exhaust pipe between said reservoir and said first portion of said exhaust pipe, said vapor trap being in fluid communication with said reservoir and said first portion of said exhaust pipe;
- and
- means for thermally insulating said vapor trap from said torque tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.