Sundstrand Corporation

Scott M Thomson

Richard E Niggemann

Michael G Schneider

Gary W Wigell

Jong-Yeong Yung

Gerard C Visel

David A Stark

Shiv C Gupta

William A Durako, Jr

Duncan Lawrie

Timothy A Davis

Eugene V Czerniewski

A rotating flood cooled machine having reduced windage losses comprises a stator having an inner periphery and a rotor rotatably positioned within the stator separated from the stator by a gap which is filled with fluid. A film divider is rotatably positioned within this gap and is allowed to rotate freely. In such a machine, when the rotor rotates at a speed .omega., the film divider is caused to rotate at a speed of approximately .omega./2. At this speed, the film divider obtains a radial position during rotation of approximately midway between the outer periphery of the rotor and the inner periphery of the stator. This radial position is preferably maintained by the hydrodynamic bearing action of the fluid within the gap, or alternatively through the use of radial positioning or retaining mechanisms. The use of axial constraint mechanisms to maintain the film divider within the air gap under the shear forces of the fluid during operation is also contemplated. The film divider may also include a plurality of holes to facilitate a flow of fluid within the air gap. This flow may be further facilitated within and trough the air gap by dividing the film divider in two halves along a midline. A method of reducing the windage loss of a rotating flooded machine, such as, e.g., an electric motor or generator, comprises the steps of placing a film divider in the gap between the rotor and stator and allowing this divider to rotate freely therein during operation.

Method and apparatus for reducing windage losses in rotating equipment

An improved axial-piston energy converting device is provided by utilizing a thin ceramic wear plate insert, having a typical thickness of only about 0.005 to 0.040 inches in thickness, as a cam surface secured by atmospheric pressure to an underlying support surface of a steel cam plate support structure. Attachment of the wear plate to the cam plate supporting surface is accomplished by polishing both a supporting surface of the cam plate, and a mating surface of the wear plate to a very smooth finish, and wiping a thin film of a fluid such as oil onto one of the polished surfaces prior to placing the wear plate onto the supporting surface. The highly polished, together with the light film of oil, result in a joint that is essentially air tight. Atmospheric pressure acting on the cam surface of the wear plate serves to hold the wear plate tightly in place on the support surface in the same manner that a pair of Johansson blocks are held together if their highly polished surfaces are mated.

Axial piston energy converting device

A generator housing including a housing module having at least one relatively complex internal passage formed therein and housing flow control components for circulating a fluid coolant through the generator. The housing module is formed by forming a plurality of sub-components each having at least one relatively simple passage formed therein for defining part of the at least one relatively complex internal passage. The sub-components are combined together as by bonding to form the housing module with at least one relatively complex internal passage. The flow control components are contained in bores within the housing module in fluid communication with the relatively complex internal passage therein. The housing module if formed of a relatively lightweight, non-metallic material to enable reduction in the weight of the generator housing in cost-effective and technically accepted manner thereby providing an improved generator which can be used in aircraft.

Composite center module housing using specifically shaped segments to

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Rockford, IL, United States of America

Scott M Thomson