Methods of making aluminum based composite squirrel cage for induction rotor

1. A method of making a rotor comprising;

providing an aluminum-carbon nanotube composite by ball milling aluminum and carbon nanotubes;

forming a plurality of conductor bars, each comprising an inner layer of the aluminum-carbon nanotube composite surrounded by an outer layer of aluminum;

providing a laminated steel stack having a plurality of longitudinal slots;

placing the plurality of conductor bars in the plurality of longitudinal slots, a first and a second end of each conductor bar extending out of a longitudinal slot;

placing the laminated steel stack with the plurality of conductor bars in a casting mold having cavities for a pair of end rings wherein the first and second ends of the plurality of conductor bars extend into the cavities; and

filling the cavities with aluminum, aluminum alloys, or combinations thereof; and

casting-in-place a rotor comprising the plurality of conductor bars, the laminated steel stack, and a pair of end rings.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the ball milling takes place under an inert gas at about 100 to about 5000 rpm for a time of about 10 min to about 10 hrs.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the conductor bars are formed by a process selected from hot pressing, hot extrusion, or powder metallurgy.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the conductor bars are formed by hot pressing at a temperature in the range of about 573K to about 873K under a pressure of about 15 to about 50 MPa for more than about 10 min.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the conductor bars are formed by hot extrusion at a temperature of about 623K to about 873K.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the conductor bars are formed by sintering at a temperature of about 673K to about 873K for a time of about 10 min, to about 5 hrs.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising pressing the sintered conductor bars using a process selected from hot pressing or hot isostatic pressing.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotubes are present in the composite in an amount of about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt %.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising mixing the carbon nanotubes with a surface agent.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising mixing the carbon nanotubes with nitric acid, sulfuric acid, combinations of nitric acid and sulfuric acid, or ethylene glycol.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the casting-in-place comprises die casting, sand casting, or lost foam casting.

12. A method of making a rotor comprising:

forming an aluminum-carbon nanotube composite by mixing aluminum, carbon nanotubes, and at least one surface agent, the carbon nanotubes being present in an amount of about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt %;

forming a plurality of conductor bars, each comprising the aluminum-carbon nanotube composite surrounded by aluminum;

providing a laminated steel stack having a plurality of longitudinal slots;

placing the plurality of conductor bars in the plurality of longitudinal slots, a first and a second end of each conductor bar extending out of a longitudinal slot;

placing the laminated steel stack with the plurality of conductor bars in a casting mold having cavities for a pair of end rings wherein the first and second ends of the plurality of conductor bars extend into the cavities; and

filling the cavities with aluminum, aluminum alloys, an aluminum composite, or combinations thereof; and

casting-in-place a rotor comprising the plurality of conductor bars, the laminated steel stack, and a pair of end rings, the casting-in-place comprising die casting, sand casting, or lost foam casting.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the mixing is by ball milling under an inert gas at about 100 to about 5000 rpm for a time of about 10 min to about 10 hrs.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the conductor bars are formed by hot pressing at a temperature in the range of about 573K to about 873K under a pressure of about 15 to about 50 MPa for more than about 10 min.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the conductor bars are formed by hot extrusion at a temperature of about 623K to about 873K.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the conductor bars are formed by sintering at a temperature of about 673K to about 873K for a time of about 10 min, to about 5 hrs.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising pressing the sintered conductor bars using a process selected from hot pressing or hot isostatic pressing.

18. A method of making a rotor comprising:

forming an aluminum-carbon nanotube composite by ball milling aluminum and carbon nanotubes with nitric acid, sulfuric acid, combinations of nitric acid and sulfuric acid, or ethylene glycol, the carbon nanotubes being present in an amount of about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt %;

forming a plurality of conductor bars, each comprising the aluminum-carbon nanotube composite surrounded by aluminum;

providing a laminated steel stack having a plurality of longitudinal slots;

placing the plurality of conductor bars in the plurality of longitudinal slots, a first and a second end of each conductor bar extending out of a longitudinal slot;

placing the laminated steel stack with the plurality of conductor bars in a casting mold having cavities for a pair of end rings wherein the first and second ends of the plurality of conductor bars extend into the cavities; and

filling the cavities with aluminum, aluminum alloys, an aluminum composite, or combinations thereof; and

casting-in-place a rotor comprising the plurality of conductor bars, the laminated steel stack, and a pair of end rings, the casting-in-place comprising die casting, sand casting, or lost foam casting.