Slip-ring arrangement for a rotating electrical machine

1. A slip-ring arrangement for a rotating electrical machine comprising:

a plurality of slip-rings disposed one behind the other in an axial direction and concentrically about an axis of the electrical machine, the plurality of slip-rings being self-supporting, and

a plurality of spacers, each of the spacers being disposed between respective adjacent ones of the plurality of slip rings, the plurality of slip-rings being connected to one another so as to form a plurality of through-flow openings configured to carry a cooling medium, each of the plurality of through-flow openings being disposed between the adjacent ones of the plurality of slip-rings;

wherein each of the plurality of slip-rings is subdivided into at least two separate sub-rings disposed concentrically one behind another and connected to one another so as to form a through-hole opening disposed between the at least two separate sub-rings for a cooling medium, a second plurality of spacers being disposed between the at least two separate sub-rings.

2. The slip-ring arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cooling medium is cooling air.

3. The slip-ring arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spacers includes a plurality of spacer rings, each of the spacer rings including a plurality of additional spacing elements distributed over a circumference of the slip-ring arrangement.

4. The slip-ring arrangement as recited in claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of additional spacing elements projects in the axial direction on opposing sides of a respective one of the plurality of spacer rings and is integrally formed on the respective one of the plurality of spacer rings.

5. The slip-ring arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of spacers includes a plurality of spacing elements distributed over a circumference of the slip-ring arrangement.

6. The slip-ring arrangement as recited in claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of axial tie bolts distributed over the circumference and passing axially through the plurality of slip-rings and the plurality of spacing elements so as to hold the slip-ring arrangement together.

7. The slip-ring arrangement as recited in claim 6 , wherein the plurality of axial tie bolts are configured to press the plurality of spacing elements and the plurality of slip-rings between two end rings configured as pressing flanges.

8. The slip-ring arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cooling medium includes cooling air.

9. The slip-ring arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of second spacers includes a plurality of spacing elements distributed over a circumference of the at least two separate sub-rings.

10. The slip-ring arrangement as recited in claim 1 , further comprising an output conductor routed from the plurality of slip-rings to a machine-side end of the slip-ring arrangement in an internal area surrounded by the slip-ring arrangement.

11. A method for cooling a slip-ring arrangement of a rotating electrical machine comprising:

arranging a plurality of slip-rings concentrically about an axis one behind the other in an axial direction and surrounding an interior, the plurality of slip-rings being self-supporting and subdivided into a plurality of sub-rings;

providing a plurality of spacers between adjacent ones of the plurality of slip-rings and providing a second plurality of spacers between adjacent ones of the plurality of sub-rings so as to form through-flow openings between the slip-rings and the sub-rings; and

introducing a cooling medium in the axial direction into the interior and such that the cooling medium emerges radially between the plurality of slip-rings and the sub-rings.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the cooling medium includes cooling air.

13. The slip-ring arrangement as recited in claim 1 , comprising:

output conductors electrically connected to the slip-rings and arranged in an internal area of the slip rings and exposed to the cooling medium.

14. The method as recited in claim 11 , comprising:

arranging at least one output conductor electrically connected to the slip-rings in an internal area of the slip rings and exposed to the cooling medium.