US3742265A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Superconducting apparatus with double armature structure
Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
•
Filing: 1972-05-25
•
Granted: 1973-06-26
•
Expires: 1992-05-25
Abstract
Abstract Rotating electric machinery and the like wherein the magnetic iron cores of the apparatus are replaced by a superconductor winding which provides a high intensity field for electromagnetic interaction within the machinery. The apparatus described contains a first armature which is always wound and which, when energized, has an armature field which has motion relative to the armature. The field of the superconducting winding and the field of the armature in operating apparatus are locked together, but are permitted to have small relative angular displacement therebetween. A second armature which may or may not be wound, depending upon the particular embodiment of the apparatus is disposed in the gap between the superconducting winding and the wound armature. The second armature carries electric currents induced or otherwise created therein, these electric currents interact with the field in the gap to create mechanical forces upon the second armature. These forces are reaction-type forces and equal and opposite to the reaction occurring upon the wound armature thereby removing all or substantially all reaction forces from the superconductor winding.
Inventors
- 👤 J Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:03
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02K; H02K55/00; H02K55/02; H02K55/04; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E40/00; Y02E40/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
195 words
A dual-armature superconducting rotating electrical machine that eliminates the need for ferromagnetic core in either the armature portion or field portion that comprises, in combination: a superconductor field winding adapted to connect to a source of electric energy and to provide a high-intensity D-C magnetic field; a first normally conducting multi-full-turn wound armature disposed in the region of influence of the D-C magnetic field of the field winding; and a second, normally conducting reaction armature disposed in the gap between the superconductor field winding and the first armature, flux lines of the D-C magnetic field linking the turns of the first armature and conductive portions of the second armature, the field winding and at least one of the armatures being adapted to permit relative angular motion therebetween, electric currents in each armature interacting with the D-C field to provide reaction forces therebetween the reaction force created by the current in the second armature acting to counteract the reaction force created by the current in the first armature thereby to allow substantially all the reaction forces to be taken up by the normally conducting armatures and to reduce the reaction force upon the superconductor field winding.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
195 words
A dual-armature superconducting rotating electrical machine that eliminates the need for ferromagnetic core in either the armature portion or field portion that comprises, in combination: a superconductor field winding adapted to connect to a source of electric energy and to provide a high-intensity D-C magnetic field; a first normally conducting multi-full-turn wound armature disposed in the region of influence of the D-C magnetic field of the field winding; and a second, normally conducting reaction armature disposed in the gap between the superconductor field winding and the first armature, flux lines of the D-C magnetic field linking the turns of the first armature and conductive portions of the second armature, the field winding and at least one of the armatures being adapted to permit relative angular motion therebetween, electric currents in each armature interacting with the D-C field to provide reaction forces therebetween the reaction force created by the current in the second armature acting to counteract the reaction force created by the current in the first armature thereby to allow substantially all the reaction forces to be taken up by the normally conducting armatures and to reduce the reaction force upon the superconductor field winding.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which both the first and second armatures contain polyphase windings electromagnetically coupled to one another so that any change in an electric current in the coils of one armature will induce a change in the coils of the other and in which the first and second armatures are mechanically secured to one another.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
148 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the first armature is the primary of a transformer and is, thus, adapted to connect to a source of electric energy, and in which the second armature is the secondary of the transformer, the machine being a concentric configuration in which the field winding is cylindrical-like in shape, is at the center of the concentric configuration, and is free to rotate about its axis as a free-spinning rotor element, the first and second armature being also cylindrical-like in shape and disposed coaxially about the cylindrical field winding, the first polyphase armature being adapted to be energized and to effect synchronous rotation of the field winding about said axis to provide a rotating field which induces a back emf in the first armature and which interacts with the polyphase winding of the second armature to induce voltages in the coils thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the machine comprises three concentric and coaxial cylindrical elements, the second and first armatures being disposed respectively outward from the field winding.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the cylindrical field winding is the center element of three.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
105 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the field winding and the second armature are free to rotate and in which the first armature is stationary in space and comprises polyphase A-C coils operable, when energized, to provide currents which interact with the high intensity D-C field to effect synchronous rotation of the field winding and its D-C field which in the course of such rotation links the conductive portions of the second armature thereby causing the second armature to rotate under the influence therEof, output shaft means being provided as part of the second armature to allow mechanical coupling to a driven load.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the second armature is wound and in which the windings thereof are connected to slip rings to permit variable resistance elements to be connected in series with the armature coils thereof to permit modification of torque characteristic of the machine.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the second armature is wound, the windings making up the second armature being connected to slip rings, and in which there is provided a separate service of A-C power connected to the slip rings, the angular rotational speed of the second armature being a function of either the sum or difference of the frequency of the separate source and the frequency of the A-C input to the first armature.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the second armature is of squirrel cage construction.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the second armature is a conductive cylindrical shell caused to rotate because of interaction between the rotating field and eddy currents induced in the shell.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the superconductor field winding and the first and second armatures form three concentric and coaxial substantially cylindrical elements.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
107 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 in which the superconductor field winding is stationary in space and is the outermost of the three elements, the first armature is the innermost of the three elements, is free to rotate and is shaft connected, and the second armature is sandwiched between the other two elements and is stationary in space, the first armature comprising wound coils connected to commutator means secured as part of the rotatable first armature, the second armature comprising wound coils electrically connected through the brushes to the commutator means, the coils of the first armature being thereby serially connected to coils of the second armature.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the machine comprises three concentric nested elements and in which the field winding is the center element of the three and is secured to a shaft for connection to a prime mover to effect rotation of the field winding.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 in which the first armature is the polyphase winding of an alternator adapted to connect to an electrical load.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 in which the second armature is a conductive shell attached to said shaft in a manner that allows relative angular motion between the shell and the shaft.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
91 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 in which the moment of inertia of the shell is large enough so that relative displacement between the shell and the rotating field winding, in the event of electrical fault in the circuit of the first armature of an operating system, is relatively small, thereby absorbing all or a significant fraction of the alternating fault current by electromagnetic interaction between the field of the armature fault current and the current induced in the shell during the fault by the field of the armature fault current.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 in which the second armature is a conductive inertial shell which is free spinning upon said shaft.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
82 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 17 in which the moment of inertia of the shell is large enough so that relative displacement between the shell and the rotating field winding, in the event of electrical fault in the circuit of the first armature of an operating system, is relatively small, thereby absorbing all or a significant fraction of the alternating fault torque by electromagnetic interaction between the field armature fault current and the electric currents induced in the shell during the fault.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
176 words
A dual-armature superconducting machine that comprises, in combination: superconductor field winding means adapted to provide a high intensity D-C field, first armature means having a normally conducting, full-turn winding for conducting an armature current; second armature means having portions adapted to carry electric current; both the first and second armature means being normally conducting and being disposed in the region of influence of the superconductor field so that flux lines of the magnetic field link the winding of the first armature means and the electrically conductive portions of the second armature means, the current in each armature means interacting with the D-C field to provide reaction forces therebetween, the reaction force created by the current in the second armature means acting to counteract the reaction force created by the current in the first armature means thereby to allow a substantial portion of the reaction forces to be taken up by the normally conducting armature means and thus lessen the net interacting reaction force of the first and second armature means on the superconductor field winding means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
176 words
A dual-armature superconducting machine that comprises, in combination: superconductor field winding means adapted to provide a high intensity D-C field, first armature means having a normally conducting, full-turn winding for conducting an armature current; second armature means having portions adapted to carry electric current; both the first and second armature means being normally conducting and being disposed in the region of influence of the superconductor field so that flux lines of the magnetic field link the winding of the first armature means and the electrically conductive portions of the second armature means, the current in each armature means interacting with the D-C field to provide reaction forces therebetween, the reaction force created by the current in the second armature means acting to counteract the reaction force created by the current in the first armature means thereby to allow a substantial portion of the reaction forces to be taken up by the normally conducting armature means and thus lessen the net interacting reaction force of the first and second armature means on the superconductor field winding means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1673673A
Cited
US3132296A
Cited
US3141101A
Cited
US3223916A
Cited
US3471726A
Cited
US3441755A
Cited
US3470396A
Cited
US3440456A
Cited
US3551784A
Cited
US3564307A
Cited
US3644766A
Cited
US3670187A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-25 | 1976-12-25 | 1977-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-25 | 1980-12-25 | 1981-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-25 | 1984-12-25 | 1985-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |