Slidable Pole Assembly for Superconducting Rotor Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional superconducting rotary machines face challenges in manufacturing and repair due to complex assembly and cooling requirements, as well as the need for thermal insulation and mechanical force transfer, which increases costs and assembly time.
Innovation Solution
A synchronous superconducting rotary machine design featuring removably connected superconductive pole units to a rotor assembly via axial mechanical coupling, with a thermally insulating support structure to maintain a magnetic air gap and facilitate easy assembly and repair, allowing for separate manufacturing and cooling of superconductive coils.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If superconductive coils are wrapped around a stepped pole element in direct thermal connection with the back iron, then the magnetic circuit is strengthened, but the thermal mass increases and cool down time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor is divided into thermally isolated segments: the back iron remains at ambient temperature while the pole elements with superconductive coils are separated and cooled independently to cryogenic temperatures. This segmentation allows the magnetic circuit to maintain strength through axial alignment while minimizing thermal mass that requires cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The pole elements with superconductive coils are extracted from direct thermal connection with the back iron and placed in a separate cooled environment. This extraction removes the unnecessary thermal mass from the cooling system while preserving the magnetic coupling function through precise axial positioning.
2Ease of manufacture
If the rotor is designed as an integrated assembly, then manufacturing is simplified, but repair and replacement of superconductive coils becomes extremely complex
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor assembly is segmented into modular components: the back iron, the pole elements with superconductive coils, and the stator. This modular design allows the superconductive coil assemblies to be independently removed and replaced by sliding them axially off the back iron, dramatically simplifying repair operations while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standardized interfaces.
3Strength
If poles are mounted directly to the back iron, then mechanical strength is maximized, but thermal insulation requirements increase complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The pole elements are extracted from direct contact with the back iron and positioned in a separate cooled chamber. This extraction eliminates the need for complex thermal insulation between the back iron and poles, as they are thermally decoupled by design. Mechanical strength is maintained through precise axial alignment and positioning within the cooled chamber.
4Reliability
If the rotor assembly is cooled to cryogenic temperatures, then superconductive effect is achieved, but the mass requiring cooling increases costs and time
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor is segmented into a warm back iron and cold pole elements with superconductive coils. Only the necessary pole elements are cooled to cryogenic temperatures, minimizing the thermal mass that requires energy-intensive cooling while maintaining the superconductive effect where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Cryogenic cooling is applied locally only to the pole elements containing superconductive coils, rather than cooling the entire rotor assembly. This localized cooling approach reduces energy consumption and cooling time by limiting the cooled volume to only where superconductive properties are required.
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 design reduces assembly time, weight, and volume, while simplifying repair processes by enabling pole unit replacement without rotor removal, and reduces cooling times by minimizing the mass at cryogenic temperatures, thus lowering costs and complexity.
Implementation Method 1
the rotor coils are configured to interact with a plurality of stator coils arranged in the stator via an electromagnetic field when the rotor is rotated relative to the stator
Implementation Method 2
a thermally insulating support structure connected to the at least one base element and to a second part of the rotor
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a synchronous superconductive rotary machine with a superconductive rotor, a wind turbine, an assembly method and a repair method thereof. The rotor comprises a back iron connected to a thermally insulating support structure which is further connected to a base element. A coupling element is arranged on a peripheral surface of the base element for coupling to a matching coupling element located on a peripheral surface of a pole unit. The pole unit comprises a core element on which the coupling element is located and superconductive coils are wound on the core element. The pole unit is slid into position in an axial direction and fixed relative to the back iron by using fastening means. The base element, support structure and pole unit are wrapped in a thermal insulating laminate. This provides a simple and easy assembly and repair process that does require the rotor to be separated from the stator in order to replace a pole unit.