US 7,889,035 B2Granted

Methods for charging and using pulsed-power sources

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorsJohn R. Hull, Michael Strasik

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Abstract

Methods and systems provide pulsed-power to a load utilizing high temperature superconductors (HTS) within multiple pulsed-power devices. According to embodiments described herein, each pulsed-power device includes a HTS mounted on a rotor and an armature coil mounted on a stator. The rotor is positioned to allow a magnetic field within the HTS to induce a voltage in the armature coil when the rotor is rotating and to allow a magnetic field created by passing current through the armature coil to charge the HTS. Current created from the operation of a first pulsed-power device is routed to the armature coil in a second pulsed-power device to charge the associated HTS to a higher value. Subsequently, the second pulsed-power device is operated to produce current that is used to further charge the HTS in the first pulsed-power device. This bootstrapping procedure is repeated until all HTSs are fully charged.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method for charging a pulsed-power system, comprising:

providing an initial charge to a first high temperature superconductor (HTS) mounted on a rotor within a first pulsed-power device;
spinning the rotor within the first pulsed-power device such that the initial charge of the first HTS induces a voltage in a first armature coil within the first pulsed-power device;
creating a pulsed current from the voltage induced in the first armature coil;
routing the pulsed current to a second armature coil within a second pulsed-power device to induce a magnetic field around the second armature coil;
introducing a second HTS mounted on a rotor within the second pulsed-power device to the magnetic field around the second armature coil to at least partially charge the second HTS;
spinning the rotor within the second pulsed-power device such that the charge of the second HTS induces a voltage in the second armature coil;
creating a pulsed current from the voltage induced in the second armature coil;
routing the pulsed current to the first armature coil to induce a magnetic field around the first armature coil;
and
introducing the first HTS to the magnetic field around the first armature coil to increase the initial charge of the first HTS.

7 more elements

A method to provide pulsed current to a load, comprising:

positioning a rotor of a first pulsed-power device such that a HTS mounted on the rotor of the first pulsed-power device is aligned with an armature coil mounted on a stator of the first pulsed-power device;
receiving a current within the armature coil of the first pulsed-power device to induce a magnetic field within the HTS of the first pulsed-power device;
positioning a rotor of a second pulsed-power device such that a HTS mounted on the rotor of the second pulsed-power device is aligned with an armature coil mounted on a stator of the second pulsed-power device;
rotating the rotor of the first pulsed-power device such that the magnetic field within the HTS of the first pulsed-power device induces a voltage in the armature coil of the first pulsed-power device;
routing a pulsed current created from the voltage in the armature coil of the first pulsed-power device to the armature coil of the second pulsed-power device;
receiving the pulsed current from the first pulsed-power device within the armature coil of the second pulsed-power device to induce a magnetic field within the HTS of the second pulsed-power device;
rotating the rotor of the first pulsed-power device and the rotor of the second pulsed-power device such that the magnetic field within the HTS of the first pulsed-power device and the magnetic field within the HTS of the second pulsed-power device induces a voltage in the armature coil of the first pulsed-power device and in the armature coil of the second pulsed-power device;
and
routing the pulsed current created from the voltage in the armature coil of the first pulsed-power device and in the armature coil of the second pulsed-power device to the load.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/951,664Filed 6 Dec 2007
Published: US 2010/0045130 A125 Feb 2010
Granted: 15 Feb 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

H02K 39/00
Generators specially adapted for producing a desired non-sinusoidal waveform
H02K 55/00
Dynamo-electric machines having windings operating at cryogenic temperatures
H01F 6/005
Superconducting magnets; Superconducting coils: processes or means for increasing the stored energy in superconductive coils by increments
Y02E 40/60
Technologies for an efficient electrical power generation, transmission or distribution: superconducting electric elements or equipment; Power…