Rotating Rectifier Assembly Monolithic Bus Bar Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rotating rectifier assemblies in brushless wound field synchronous generators face challenges in efficiently converting AC voltage to DC voltage due to limitations in the design of snubber circuits and bus bar configurations, which affect electrical insulation and structural support, leading to potential issues with voltage and current waveform conditioning.
Innovation Solution
A rotating rectifier assembly design featuring a monolithic, toroidal annular bus bar with fluid channels and contact spring reliefs, integrated with an insulator ring and outer housing, which provides enhanced electrical conductivity and structural integrity, along with a coolant circuit for heat management, to improve the conversion efficiency and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional bus bar configurations with separate components are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but electrical insulation and structural support are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate components (bus bar, insulator, structural support elements) into a single integrated monolithic bus bar structure. This merging eliminates the interfaces between separate parts, thereby improving electrical insulation and structural support while maintaining manufacturability through monolithic formation processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The monolithic bus bar employs composite material construction, integrating conductive materials for electrical conductivity with insulating and structurally supportive materials within the same component. This allows different regions of the bus bar to exhibit different material properties optimized for their specific functions.
2Reliability
If complex snubber circuit configurations are used, then voltage and current waveform conditioning is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the snubber circuit components directly into the monolithic bus bar structure, combining waveform conditioning functionality with the electrical connection structure. This integration reduces device complexity by eliminating separate mounting and connection requirements while maintaining effective voltage and current waveform conditioning.
3Productivity
If adequate heat management is implemented, then conversion efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates coolant channels directly into the monolithic bus bar structure, merging thermal management functionality with the electrical connection component. This allows efficient heat removal from high-current paths without adding separate cooling systems, thereby improving conversion efficiency while minimizing increases in device complexity.
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
The design enhances the conversion efficiency and reliability of AC to DC voltage conversion, providing improved electrical and thermal management, thus addressing the limitations of existing rotating rectifier assemblies.
Implementation Method 1
The bus bar may include one or more fluid channels formed therein, which may extend axially along the bus bar
Implementation Method 2
Rectifiers are generally employed to convert AC voltage to DC voltage
Data Source
AI summary
A rectifier assembly (100) includes an annular bus bar (104) including an electrically conductive material, and an insulator ring (106) receiving the annular bus bar (104). The insulator ring (106) defines radially-extending resistor pockets (200,202,204) and diode pockets (206,208,210) therein. The rectifier assembly also includes resistors (122,124,126) disposed in the resistor pockets (200,202,204) and electrically connected with the annular bus bar (104), and diodes (116,118,210) disposed in the diode pockets (206,208,210) and electrically connected with the annular bus bar (104). The rectifier assembly (100) also includes an outer housing (108) receiving the annular bus bar (104) and the insulator ring (106), such that the insulator ring (106) is positioned radially between the annular bus bar (104) and the outer housing (108).