American Superconductor Corporation

Peter M Winn

James F Maguire

Swarn S Kalsi

Bruce B Gamble

Raymond Thomas Howard

Gregory L Snitchler

Jie Yuan

Ahmed Sidi-Yekhlef

William T Sand

Dariusz Antoni Bushko

John Peter Voccio

John R Brubaker

Patrick S Flannery

Peter Hansen

Ronald A Malzone

John Mirageas

Ahmed Sidi-Yekhelf

A power electronics based system using natural, convection cooling, includes an enclosure housing a plurality of discrete components distributed in a vertical direction from a bottom portion to a top portion of the enclosure and having a heat density weighted average center at a first height along the vertical direction. There is a heat exchanger adjacent to the enclosure, including an inlet port and an outlet port in fluid communication with the enclosure. The heat exchanger has a vertical cooling average center at a second height. There is a cooling fluid disposed in the enclosure and in the heat exchanger to cool the discrete components. The discrete components are positioned in the vertical direction in the enclosure such that the first height of the heat density weighted average center along the vertical direction is below the second height of the vertical cooling average center of the heat exchanger.

Natural convection cooling for power electronics systems having discrete power dissipation components

A direct-drive power train of a wind power plant is protected from over-torque by a torque limiting device. The power train includes a turbine rotor including a hub and blades supported on the hub, and a generator including a stator and a generator rotor rotatably disposed within the stator. The generator rotor includes a generator rotor body, a rotor shaft, and the torque limiting device connects the generator rotor body to the rotor shaft. The torque limiting device is configured to support the generator rotor body within the stator and allow coaxial rotation of the rotor body relative to the stator. The hub and the generator rotor are connected by the rotor shaft, and the rotor shaft rotates at the same frequency as the hub.

Torque limiting coupling for wind turbine

A support module is provided for use in a rotor assembly of a rotating machine. The support module is disposed on the rotor body, supports high temperature superconductor rotor windings within the rotor assembly, and thermally decouples the cold portions of the rotor assembly, including windings and support tube, from the ambient temperature rotor body and drive shaft. The support module includes a frame disposed on the rotor body, a support block connected to the rotor winding and suspended within the frame, and thermally non-conductive straps extending from each of a pair of opposed sides of the support block to the frame, the straps suspending the support block within the frame.

Torque support member for rotating electrical machine

A rotor assembly includes a superconducting winding assembly positioned within a cryogenic region of the rotor assembly. In operation, the superconducting winding assembly generates a magnetic flux linking a stator assembly. The rotor assembly also includes a torque transfer assembly that includes first and second tubes that are positioned in a radial space external to the superconducting winding assembly and that extend along a longitudinal axis of the rotor assembly.

Torque transmission assembly for superconducting rotating machines

A stator assembly including a plurality of stator coil assemblies and a stator coil support structure constructed of a non-magnetic, thermally-conductive material. The stator coil support structure includes an axial passage for receiving a rotor assembly and a plurality of channels positioned radially about the axial passage. Each channel is configured to receive one or more of the stator coil assemblies.

Circumferentially wound cooling tube structure for cooling a stator

Thermally-conductive stator support structure

A system includes an azimuthing pod configured to be attached to the hull of a ship, a superconducting motor positioned within the azimuthing pod, a refrigeration system including a compressor and a cryogenic refrigeration module coupled to the compressor. The system further comprises a transfer system configured to circulate a coolant between the cryogenic refrigeration module and the superconducting machine, at least one of the compressor and the cryogenic refrigeration module being positioned within the hull of the ship.

Motor mount for azimuthing pod

A stator assembly includes a plurality of stator coil assemblies and a stator coil support structure constructed of a non-magnetic, thermally-conductive material. The stator coil support structure includes an axial passage for receiving a rotor assembly and a plurality of channels positioned radially about the axial passage. Each channel is configured to receive one or more of the stator coil assemblies.

A superconducting coil assembly is of the type mounted to a rotor assembly of an electric rotating machine and, in operation, is maintained at cryogenic temperatures while the portion of the rotor assembly is maintained above cryogenic temperatures. The superconducting coil assembly includes at least one superconducting winding wound about a longitudinal axis of the coil assembly and having an inner radial surface defining a bore extending through the coil assembly. The coil assembly also includes at least one support member extending across the bore and mechanically coupled to the portion of the rotor assembly and to opposing portions of the inner radial surface of the at least one superconducting winding.

Mounting structure for superconducting windings

A stator support system for supporting a stator coil assembly includes an inner support tube having an outer surface; spaced windings supported on the inner support tube with spaces between adjacent windings defining gaps; support members, each disposed within one of the gaps and having a first and second edge configured to mechanically engage the outer surface of the inner support tube; and a cross support positioned over the spaced winding and extending perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the stator coil assembly. The cross support having a first edge configured to mechanically engage the second edge of the support members. The stator coil assembly can include a stator coil having at least one conductive winding; an electrically insulating material disposed around the stator coil; at least one cooling conduit for receiving a coolant from an outside source, the at least one cooling conduit disposed adjacent a first portion of an outer surface of the stator coil; and a thermally conductive member including graphite and disposed around the at least one cooling conduit and a second portion of the outer surface of the stator coil to transfer heat from the second portion to the at least one cooling conduit, thereby reducing the temperature gradient in the electrically insulating material.

Stator coil assembly for superconducting rotating machines

A stator support system for supporting a stator coil assembly includes a inner support tube having an outer surface; spaced windings supported on the inner support tube with spaces between adjacent windings defining gaps; support members, each disposed within one of the gaps and having a first and second edge configured to mechanically engage the outer surface of the inner support tube; and a cross support positioned over the spaced winding and extending perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the stator coil assembly. The cross support having a first edge configured to mechanically engage the second edge of the support members. The stator coil assembly can include a stator coil having at least one conductive winding; an electrically insulating material disposed around the stator coil; at least one cooling conduit for receiving a coolant from an outside source, the at least one cooling conduit disposed adjacent a first portion of an outer surface of the stator coil; and a thermally conductive member including graphite and disposed around the at least one cooling conduit and a second portion of the outer surface of the stator coil to transfer heat from the second portion to the at least one cooling conduit, thereby reducing the temperature gradient in the electrically insulating material.

A superconducting rotor assembly includes an axial shaft and a winding support structure. A torque tube is connected to this winding support structure. An interconnection assembly mechanically couples the torque tube to the axial shaft. This interconnection assembly is configured to convert a torsional torque load experienced by the torque tube to a tangential torque load which is provided to the axial shaft.

Tangential torque support

A rotor assembly includes at least one superconducting winding assembly positioned within a cryogenic region of the rotor assembly, and a cantilevered member, mechanically coupled between the at least one superconducting winding assembly and the shaft. The cantilevered member extends between the non-cryogenic region and cryogenic region of the rotor assembly. The at least one superconducting winding assembly, in operation, generates a magnetic flux linking the stator assembly.

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Framingham, MA, United States of America

Peter M Winn