US 8,575,790 B1Granted

Superconducting electrodynamic turbine

OwnerWilliam Ivan Ogilvieinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The Superconducting Electrodynamic Turbine produces thrust by transferring momentum to the Earth, via the geomagnetic field. A pair of counter-rotating electrodynamic rotors, that are made from a Superconductor, act together to displace the surrounding geomagnetic field. The rotation of a Superconductor in the geomagnetic field, referred to as the exciting field, creates persistent eddy currents in the Superconductor. Lenz's Law states that an induced eddy current produces a magnetic field that opposes the relative change in the exciting field. A continuous increment of energy, or work, has to be expended to overcome the opposing force and to keep the counter-rotating electrodynamic rotors rotating at a constant rate. This work is transferred to the magnetic field. The Electrodynamic Turbine produces a unidirectional displacement in the exciting magnetic field, creating a force or thrust. The magnitude of the force can be modulated by changing the rotational speed of the electrodynamic rotors and the direction of the thrust can be reversed by reversing the direction of rotation. The Electrodynamic Turbine can also be used to convert momentum, in the presence of an exciting field, to rotational kinetic energy for power generation.

A superconducting rotating machine comprising:

a. at least one right-handed superconducting helixes, and
b. said right-handed superconducting helixes being pivotably disposed, and
c. said right-handed superconducting helixes having an axis of rotation along the lengthwise center of radius of said right-handed superconducting helixes, and
d. at least one left-handed superconducting helixes, and
e. said left-handed superconducting helixes having an axis of rotation along the lengthwise center of radius of said left-handed superconducting helixes, and
f. said right-handed superconducting helixes and said left-handed superconducting helixes being constructed using a high temperature superconductor material, and
g. means for holding said axis of rotation of said right-handed superconducting helixes and said axis of rotation of said left-handed superconducting helixes substantially parallel and in a fixed position, and
h. said right-handed superconducting helixes and said left-handed superconducting helixes being disposed in an external magnetic field, and
i. rotational drive means applied to said right-handed superconducting helixes and said left-handed superconducting helixes for producing opposite direction rotation of said right-handed superconducting helixes and said left-handed superconducting helixes, and
j. cryogenic cooling means applied to said right-handed superconducting helixes and said left-handed superconducting helixes for cooling said right-handed superconducting helixes below the critical temperature of said high temperature superconductor, Tc, and
k. the rotation of said right-handed superconducting helixes and said left-handed superconducting helixes across an external magnetic field induces eddy currents and opposing magnetic fields within the superconductors, and
l. said induced eddy currents and opposing magnetic fields within the superconductors displaces said external magnetic field into a stronger part at the leading edge of said superconducting helixes and a weaker part at the trailing edge of said superconducting helixes, and
m. said stronger part of the magnetic field and said weaker part of the magnetic field produce, by the principle of the Meissner effect, a force on said superconducting helix that is at right angles to the helix angle and at all locations that said eddy currents are induced, and
n. said forces at all locations that said eddy currents are induced when combined produce a torque that opposes the rotation of said helixes and a linear thrust.

11 more elements

Abstract

Claims5