SUPERCONDUCTING ELECTRIC MOTOR

• US 20120161557A1
• Filed: 12/16/2011
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: MIZUTANI, Ryoji, OHASHI, Yoshimasa, OKUMURA, Nobuo, ISHIDA, Kenji
• Application Number:
  US13/328,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20120161557A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/64
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 55/04 with rotating field windings

Abstract

A superconducting electric motor includes: a rotor that is rotatably arranged; and a stator. The stator has a plurality of teeth provided on one radial end portion of a stator core and slots, each of which is provided between two of the plurality of teeth, adjacent in a circumferential direction of the stator. Coils are respectively wound around the teeth. The superconducting electric motor further includes a refrigerator that has a narrow tube that flows low-temperature refrigerant inside. At least part of the narrow tube is arranged between two of the coils, adjacent in the circumferential direction of the stator, in one of the slots.

Claims

1. A superconducting electric motor comprising:

a rotor that is rotatably arranged;

a stator that is arranged in a radial direction of the rotor so as to face the rotor;

a case in which the rotor and the stator are arranged; and

a refrigerator that has at least one narrow tube that flows low-temperature refrigerant inside, wherein

the stator includes a stator core and a plurality of superconducting coils formed of a superconducting wire material,

the stator core has an annular back yoke, a plurality of teeth that radially protrude from one radial end portion of the back yoke and slots, each of which is provided between two of the teeth, adjacent in a circumferential direction of the stator,

the plurality of superconducting coils are respectively wound around the teeth, and

at least part of the at least one narrow tube is arranged between two of the plurality of superconducting coils, adjacent in the circumferential direction of the stator, in one of the slots, and is in thermal contact with at least any one of the two superconducting coils.

2. The superconducting electric motor according to claim 1, wherein

an entire part of the at least one narrow tube, arranged in one of the slots, is arranged between the two of the plurality of superconducting coils, adjacent in the circumferential direction of the stator.

3. The superconducting electric motor according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one narrow tube is only in contact with at least one of the two superconducting coils in one of the slots.

4. The superconducting electric motor according to claim 1, further comprising:

an insulator that is provided between each of the teeth and a corresponding one of the superconducting coils and that is formed in a shape that decreases heat transfer between the tooth and the corresponding one of the superconducting coils.

5. The superconducting electric motor according to claim 4, wherein

the shape that decreases heat transfer is one of a comb-tooth shape and a shape having a hole extending through a center portion of the insulator in a thickness direction of the insulator.

6. The superconducting electric motor according to claim 1, further comprising:

an insulator that is provided between each of the teeth and a corresponding one of the superconducting coils and that is formed of a material that decreases the heat transfer.

7. The superconducting electric motor according to claim 6, wherein

the material that decreases heat transfer is glass-fiber reinforced resin.

8. The superconducting electric motor according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one narrow tube each has a meandering portion that is arranged between two of the plurality of superconducting coils, adjacent in the circumferential direction of the stator, in one of the slots and that is in thermal contact with both the two adjacent superconducting coils.

9. The superconducting electric motor according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of superconducting coils each has two coil end portions that respectively protrude axially outward from both axial end surfaces of the stator core, and

the at least one narrow tube has a coil end facing portion that is arranged so as to face an axially outer end surface portion of at least one of the two coil end portions and that is in contact with the at least one of the two coil end portions.

10. The superconducting electric motor according to claim 1, wherein

a low-temperature-side heat exchanging portion of the refrigerator is formed of the at least one narrow tube.

11. The superconducting electric motor according to claim 4, wherein

the insulator has an electrical insulation property.

12. The superconducting electric motor according to claim 6, wherein

the insulator has an electrical insulation property.