Superconducting electric motor
AssigneeAmerican Superconductor Corporation
InventorSwarn S. Kalsi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A superconducting motor which operates in a synchronous mode of operation, can also be operated in an induction mode in the event that the superconducting components of the motor lose their superconducting properties (e.g., due to cooling system failure). The superconducting electric motor includes a rotor assembly having at least one superconducting winding which, in operation, generates a flux path within the rotor assembly, and a support member which supports the at least one superconducting winding. The rotor assembly is configured to operate in a synchronous mode of operation at temperatures in which the superconducting winding exhibits superconducting characteristics and in a steady-state induction mode of operation at temperatures in which the superconducting winding exhibits non-superconducting characteristics.
Claims21
A superconducting electric motor comprising:
- a rotor assembly including:
- a plurality of superconducting windings that, in operation, each generate a flux path within the rotor assembly,
- a laminated support member that supports the superconducting windings, and
- an induction structure to support induction current for driving the motor in a steady-state induction mode;
- the laminated support member including laminations, a first set of laminations oriented in a first orientation and a second set of laminations oriented in a second orientation different than the first orientation;
- the rotor assembly being configured to operate
- in a synchronous mode at temperatures in which the superconducting windings exhibit superconducting characteristics, and
- in a steady-state induction mode at temperatures in which the superconducting windings exhibit non-superconducting characteristics.
A superconducting electric motor comprising:
- a rotor assembly including a plurality of superconducting windings each having a high-temperature superconductor, the superconducting windings, in operation, generating flux within the rotor assembly, the rotor assembly configured to operate
- in a synchronous mode at temperatures in which the superconducting windings exhibit superconducting characteristics, and
- in a steady-state induction mode at temperatures in which the superconducting windings exhibit non-superconducting characteristics;
- a cryostat surrounding the rotor assembly to maintain the superconducting windings at cryogenic temperatures;
- and
- induction structure that, during operation, carries current at levels sufficient to allow the motor to operate in the steady-state induction mode, the induction structure including:
- a laminated support member that supports the superconducting windings;
- and
- an electromagnetic shield surrounding the cryostat and the superconducting windings,
- the laminated support member including laminations, a first set of laminations oriented in a first orientation and a second set of laminations oriented in a second orientation different than the first orientation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.