Compact high power alternator

Compact, high-power, power conversion apparatus comprising:

• a rotor comprising a cylindrical casing having a substantially open endcap, and a predetermined number of permanent magnets disposed in the interior of the casing, the rotor being adapted for rotation about the axis of the casing over a predetermined operational range of rotational speeds;
• a stator comprising a core and at least one conductive winding,
• the core including a peripheral portion and a substantially open interior in fluid communication with the substantially open rotor endcap;
• the peripheral portion having a generally cylindrical outer peripheral surface and a predetermined number of slots formed therein;
• the winding being wound around the core peripheral portion through the slots;
• the stator being concentrically disposed within the interior of the rotor casing, with the stator core outer peripheral surface disposed proximate to the rotor magnets, separated from the magnets by a predetermined gap distance, such that relative motion of the rotor and stator causes magnetic flux from the magnets to electromagnetically interact with the stator winding;
• the rotor and stator being configured such that rotation of the rotor at and above a predetermined speed within the range of speeds tends to cause generation of heat that, if not dissipated, would raise the temperature of the magnets above a predetermined destructive level;
• and
• a cooling system for directing coolant along a predetermined flow path into thermal contact with at least one of the winding and magnets, the coolant flow path including the substantially open interior of the stator core and the substantially open rotor endcap, and being configured to generate sufficient coolant flow through the predetermined flow path at and above the predetermined speed to dissipate heat generated and maintain the temperature of the magnets below the predetermined destructive level.

Compact, high-power, power conversion apparatus comprising:

• first and second endplates, the endplates comprising a central hub, an outer portion, and a connecting portion connecting the outer portion to the central hub;
• a shaft rotatably coupled to the first and second endplate hubs, the shaft being adapted to rotate over a predetermined range of operational rotational speeds;
• an outer casing having a cylindrical interior surface disposed concentric with the shaft between the first and second endplate outer portions;
• a rotor comprising a hub, a cylindrical casing, and a connecting portion connecting the cylindrical casing to the hub;
• the rotor cylindrical casing disposed concentric with the shaft between the first and second endplates and within the outer casing spaced apart from the interior surface of the outer casing by a predetermined distance, and coupled by the rotor hub and connecting portion to the shaft for rotation therewith,
• the rotor including a predetermined number of permanent magnets disposed on the interior of the casing;
• and
• a stator comprising a core and at least one conductive winding;
• the core including a central aperture of predetermined cross section and a peripheral portion having respective radially extending side faces and a generally cylindrical outer peripheral surface;
• the core peripheral portion having a predetermined number of slots formed therein extending between the side faces, successive slots separated by intervening portions of the core peripheral portion,
• the winding being wound around the core peripheral portion through respective slots separated by a predetermined number of intervening portions of the core peripheral portion, forming end turns between the respective slots;
• the stator core being fixed to the second endplate, with the shaft being disposed within the stator central aperture and the core outer peripheral surface disposed concentric with, and within the interior of, the rotor casing proximate to the rotor magnets, separated from the magnets by a predetermined gap distance, such that relative motion of the rotor and stator causes electromagnetic interaction between the magnets and the stator winding;
• the rotor and stator being configured such that rotation of the rotor at and above a predetermined speed within the range of operational speeds tends to cause generation of heat that, if not dissipated, would raise the internal temperature of the apparatus to above a level destructive to the magnets;
• and
• the rotor connecting portion and the second end plate connecting portion each including openings of predetermined cross section therethrough in predetermined disposition relative to the stator central aperture, cooperating with the stator central aperture to provide a coolant flow path over the winding end turns;
• the relative dispositions and cross sections of the stator central aperture, rotor connecting portion and the second end plate connecting portion being such that the coolant flow path permits sufficient coolant flow over the winding end turns at and above the predetermined speed to dissipate heat generated and maintain the internal temperature of the apparatus below the destructive level.