Air Core Motor-Generator Assembly Process
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of air core motor-generators is labor-intensive and costly, limiting their efficiency and widespread adoption, despite their potential for reduced magnetic losses and higher energy conversion efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A process for automated production of air core motor-generators involves assembling a rotor with magnetic poles and forming an air core armature using a tacky adhesive layer and multiple insulated conductor strands, which are wound into a pattern without the need for laminated steel stators, allowing for high-speed manufacturing and reduced magnetic losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If air core motor-generators are produced using traditional methods, then magnetic losses are reduced, but manufacturing becomes labor-intensive and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor is divided into two separate rotor portions (first and second rotor portions) that are spaced apart to form an airgap. This segmentation allows the armature windings to be placed in the airgap rather than in slots, eliminating the need for laminated steel stators and reducing magnetic losses while simplifying the manufacturing process through modular assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the armature windings from the traditional slot structure and places them directly in the airgap between the two rotor portions. This removal of the iron stator structure eliminates hysteresis and eddy current losses in the stator while maintaining the necessary magnetic flux path through the air core construction
2Ease of manufacture
If air core motor-generators are produced with high automation, then manufacturing cost decreases, but production rate and efficiency are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The armature windings are pre-formed on a mandrel in the exact configuration needed for the airgap before the final assembly. This preliminary formation of windings allows for automated winding processes and eliminates time-consuming manual assembly steps during final production, thereby increasing production rate while maintaining automation compatibility
Solution Approach 2:
The air core armature with pre-formed windings is nested between the two rotor portions during assembly. This nested configuration allows all components to be assembled in a compact arrangement that is highly amenable to automated assembly lines, significantly increasing production rate while maintaining design simplicity
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional motor-generators are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but energy conversion efficiency is lower due to higher magnetic losses
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating a non-magnetic airgap region between the rotor portions where the armature windings are placed. This localized air core construction specifically targets the reduction of magnetic losses in the critical flux path area, while the rest of the motor structure can use conventional materials, thus improving energy efficiency without completely redesigning the entire manufacturing process
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This process enables the production of motor-generators with higher efficiency and power density, reducing resistive and magnetic losses, and facilitating widespread adoption by automating the manufacturing process, thereby improving global energy use.
Implementation Method 1
coating a substantially nonmagnetic armature form with a tacky adhesive layer, and winding armature windings into a winding pattern on to the substantially nonmagnetic form... wherein tack of the tacky adhesive layer holds the wire to the substantially nonmagnetic armature form
Implementation Method 2
assembling a rotor formed from two spaced apart rotor portions having magnetic poles that drive magnetic flux circumferentially through the rotor portions and back and forth across an armature airgap
Implementation Method 3
The process further comprises forming an air core armature by coating a substantially nonmagnetic armature form with a tacky adhesive layer, and winding armature windings into a winding pattern on to the substantially nonmagnetic form... for production of magnetically induced torque between the rotor and the stator
Implementation Method 4
The winding process comprises sequentially applying pressure to sections of the wire against the tacky adhesive layer
Data Source
AI summary
A process for assembling a brushless motor-generator includes assembling a rotor formed from two spaced apart rotor portions having magnetic poles that drive magnetic flux circumferentially through the rotor portions and back and forth across an armature airgap formed between the rotor portions. An air core armature is formed by coating a substantially nonmagnetic armature form with a tacky adhesive layer, and winding armature windings into a winding pattern onto the substantially nonmagnetic form using wire made of multiple individually insulated conductor strands that are electrically connected in parallel but are electrically insulated from each other along their length when located inside the armature airgap, wherein the strands of said wire are diametrically held together by an outer serve. The winding of the armature form includes sequentially applying pressure to sections of said wire against the tacky adhesive layer.