IP Library Granted Patent US 10,910,920
Granted Patent B2
US 10,910,920 · App. 16/400,253 · Granted Feb 2, 2021

Magnetic shield for a superconducting generator

Inventors: David Allan Torrey (Ballston Spa, NY); Nidhishri Tapadia (Arvada, CO); Joseph Zierer (Niskayuna, NY); Anbo Wu (Clifton Park, NY)
Assignee: General Electric Company
H02K11/01F03D1/065H02K55/04H02K11/012H02K11/02H02K11/028
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,910,920
App. No.
16/400,253
Granted
Feb 2, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An annular rotating armature is presented. The annular rotating armature includes an armature winding having a plurality of coils, an armature support structure and a magnetic shield disposed between the armature winding and the armature support structure. The magnetic shield having a first magnetic shield ring, a second magnetic shield ring disposed concentric to the first magnetic shield ring and coupled to the first magnetic shield ring via a magnetic shield bridge link. An air gap is formed between the first magnetic shield ring and the second magnetic shield ring. The magnetic shield bridge link is disposed within the air gap. A superconducting generator including the annular rotating armature and a wind turbine having such superconducting generator are also presented.

Claims (47)

1. An armature for an electrical machine, comprising:

an armature support structure;

an armature winding comprising a plurality of coils, the armature winding disposed relative to the armature support structure; and

a magnetic shield disposed concentric to the armature support structure, wherein the magnetic shield is disposed between the armature winding and the armature support structure, the magnetic shield comprising:

a first magnetic shield ring;

a second magnetic shield ring disposed concentric to the first magnetic shield ring, the first magnetic shield ring disposed a distance from the second magnetic shield ring to define an air gap therebetween; and

a magnetic shield bridge link disposed in the air gap and coupled to the first magnetic shield ring and the second magnetic shield ring.

2. The armature as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the armature support structure is formed of steel.

3. The armature as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic shield ring, the second magnetic shield ring and the magnetic shield bridge link are formed of ferromagnetic steel designed for use in electrical equipment.

4. The armature as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a radial dimension of the second magnetic shield ring is less than a radial dimension of the first magnetic shield ring.

5. The armature as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the magnetic shield is formed as a laminated structure.

6. The armature as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the magnetic shield bridge link is a laminated structure, integrally formed with at least one of the first magnetic shield ring and the second magnetic shield ring.

7. The armature as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the magnetic shield bridge link comprises a plurality of structural bridge components coupled to the first magnetic shield ring and the second magnetic shield ring.

8. An electric machine, comprising:

a stationary field;

a superconducting field winding disposed on the stationary field; and

an armature disposed concentric to the stationary field, wherein the armature comprises:

an armature winding comprising a plurality of coils, wherein each coil of the plurality of coils is spaced apart from adjacent coils;

an armature support structure, the armature winding disposed concentric to the armature support structure; and

a magnetic shield disposed concentric to the armature support structure, wherein the magnetic shield is disposed between the armature winding and the armature support structure, the magnetic shield comprising:

a first magnetic shield ring;

a second magnetic shield ring disposed concentric to the first magnetic shield ring and coupled to the first magnetic shield ring via a magnetic shield bridge link; and

an air gap formed between the first magnetic shield ring and the second magnetic shield ring, the magnetic shield bridge link disposed within the air gap.

9. The electric machine as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the armature support structure is formed of steel.

10. The electric machine as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first magnetic shield ring, the second magnetic shield ring and the magnetic shield bridge link are formed of ferromagnetic steel designed for use in electrical equipment.

11. The electric machine as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the electric machine is one of a radial flux electric machine or an axial flux electric machine.

12. The electric machine as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the magnetic shield is formed as a laminated structure.

13. The electric machine as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the magnetic shield bridge link is a laminated structure, integrally formed with at least one of the first magnetic shield ring and the second magnetic shield ring.

14. A wind turbine, comprising:

a rotor comprising a plurality of blades;

a shaft coupled to the rotor; and

a super-conducting generator coupled to the rotor via the shaft and configured to be operated via the rotor, wherein the superconducting generator comprises:

a stationary field;

a superconducting field winding disposed on the stationary field; and

an armature disposed concentric to the stationary field, wherein the armature comprises:

an armature winding comprising a plurality of coils, wherein each coil of the plurality of coils is spaced apart from adjacent coils;

an armature support structure, the armature winding disposed concentric to the armature support structure; and

a magnetic shield, wherein the magnetic shield is disposed between the armature winding and the armature support structure, the magnetic shield comprising:

a first magnetic shield ring;

a second magnetic shield ring disposed concentric to the first magnetic shield ring and coupled to the first magnetic shield ring via a magnetic shield bridge link; and

an air gap formed between the first magnetic shield ring and the second magnetic shield ring, the magnetic shield bridge link disposed within the air gap.

15. The wind turbine as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the armature support structure is formed of steel.

16. The wind turbine as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the first magnetic shield ring, the second magnetic shield ring and the magnetic shield bridge link are formed of ferromagnetic steel designed for use in electrical equipment.

17. The wind turbine as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the super-conducting generator is one of a radial flux super-conducting generator or an axial flux super-conducting generator.

18. The wind turbine of claim 14 , wherein the magnetic shield bridge link comprises a plurality of structural bridge components coupled to the first magnetic shield ring and the second magnetic shield ring.

19. The wind turbine of claim 14 , wherein the magnetic shield is formed as a laminated structure.

20. The wind turbine of claim 14 , wherein the magnetic shield bridge link is a laminated structure, integrally formed with at least one of the first magnetic shield ring and the second magnetic shield ring.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 17, 2023
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC RENOVABLES ESPAÑA, S.L.
Reel/Frame 065594/0897 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2019
From: TORREY, DAVID ALLAN; TAPADIA, NIDHISHRI; ZIERER, JOSEPH; WU, ANBO
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 049049/0597 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200350805A1 · Nov 5, 2020