Rotating Machine Coupling Pipe Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional superconducting machines experience degraded thermal transport capability when tilted or shaken, due to clogging of heat pipes by liquid phase cooling medium, impeding gas phase flow and disrupting continuous cooling medium supply.
Innovation Solution
A rotary machine with a coupling pipe having separate passages for liquid and gas phase cooling media, preventing clogging and ensuring stable thermal transport by utilizing gravitational force and structural features like ingress prevention sections and support sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single coupling pipe is used for both liquid and gas phase cooling medium flow, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of thermal transport deteriorates when the machine is tilted or shaken due to clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling pipe is segmented into separate liquid phase cooling medium passage and gas phase cooling medium passage. This segmentation allows independent flow paths for liquid and gas phases, preventing mutual interference and clogging while maintaining reliable thermal transport under tilted or shaken conditions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the machine is operated in tilted or shaken conditions, then the adaptability to marine vessel environments is improved, but the thermal transport capability deteriorates due to liquid phase clogging
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the coupling pipe into separate passages for liquid and gas phases, the invention enables the machine to operate reliably in tilted or shaken conditions without clogging, thus maintaining continuous cooling medium supply while adapting to marine vessel environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The separate passage structure acts as an intermediary mechanism that mediates between the conflicting requirements of tilted operation and continuous cooling supply, allowing the liquid and gas phases to flow independently without interfering with each other's flow paths.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If a bent portion is provided in the coupling pipe for thermal expansion, then the durability is improved, but the gas phase flow is impeded when tilted due to liquid phase accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling pipe is segmented into separate liquid and gas phase passages, allowing the bent portion to accommodate thermal expansion of each phase independently without causing liquid accumulation that would impede gas phase flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid phase passage and gas phase passage are given different local qualities in terms of their flow path design, with the gas phase passage configured to prevent liquid accumulation at the bent portion, ensuring smooth gas flow while maintaining pipe durability.
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
Maintains stable thermal transport between condenser and evaporator sections even when the machine is tilted or shaken, preventing clogging and ensuring continuous cooling medium supply.
Implementation Method 1
a condenser section which is disposed outside the rotor and condenses a gas phase cooling medium into a liquid phase cooling medium
Implementation Method 2
an evaporator section which is disposed inside the rotor, and evaporates the liquid phase cooling medium generated by condensation in the condenser section into the gas phase cooling medium, by heat exchange between the cooling target and the liquid phase cooling medium
Implementation Method 3
a thermosiphon cooling system which cools the HTS field poles by natural convection by use of a cooling medium (e.g., neon, nitrogen or the like) having been cooled by the cooling device such as the GM freezing device
Data Source
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AI summary
A rotary machine which cools a cooling target inside a rotor which is rotatable around a rotational axis, by a thermosiphon action, comprises a condenser section which is disposed outside the rotor and condenses a gas phase cooling medium into a liquid phase cooling medium; an evaporator section which is disposed inside the rotor, and evaporates the liquid phase cooling medium generated by condensation in the condenser section into the gas phase cooling medium, by heat exchange between the cooling target and the liquid phase cooling medium; and a coupling pipe which flows therethrough the liquid phase cooling medium and the gas phase cooling medium between the evaporator section and the condenser section, and has a bent portion, wherein the coupling pipe has a pipe structure in which a liquid phase cooling medium passage which flows therethrough the liquid phase cooling medium generated by the condensation in the condenser section and a gas phase cooling medium passage which flows therethrough the gas phase cooling medium generated by evaporation in the evaporator section are separately provided. In this structure, the rotary machine can stably maintain the capability of thermal transport between the condenser section and the evaporator section, even in a case where the whole of the rotary machine is tilted or shakes.