Fluid transfer device and method for conveying fluid to a rotating member

• US 7,312,544 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2005
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Laskaris, Evangelos Trifon, Bagepalli, Bharat Sampathkumaran, Bray, James William, Gadre, Aniruddha Dattatraya
• Primary Examiner(s): Lam, Thanh
• Application Number:
  US10/906,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20060182621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 310 52- 59, 310/60.A, 310 61- 63
• US Class Current: 310/61
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 55/04 with rotating field windings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/60 Superconducting electric elements or equipment; Power systems integrating superconducting elements or equipment

Abstract

A fluid transfer device and a method for conveying a fluid from a fluid transfer device to a rotating member are provided. The fluid transfer device includes a housing disposed around a first rotating member extending along an axis. The housing has a first plurality of apertures extending therethrough that communicate with the fluid source. The first rotating member has a second plurality of passageways extending from a first exterior surface of the first rotating member to a third passageway extending generally axially within the first rotating member. Further, at least a portion of the second plurality of passageways communicate with at least a portion of the first plurality of apertures, wherein the fluid flows through the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of passageways to the third passageway in the first rotating member.

Claims

1. A fluid transfer device for conveying a fluid from a fluid source to a rotating member, comprising:

a housing disposed around a first rotating member extending along an axis, the housing having a first plurality of apertures extending therethrough that communicate with the fluid source; and

the first rotating member having a second plurality of passageways extending from a first exterior surface of the first rotating member to a third passageway extending generally axially within the first rotating member, at least a portion of the second plurality of passageways communicating with at least a portion of the first plurality of apertures, wherein the fluid flows through the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of passageways to the third passageway in the first rotating member.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of apertures of the housing are disposed circumferentially around the housing.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing has a fourth plurality of apertures extending therethrough, each aperture of the fourth plurality of apertures being disposed proximate one aperture of the first plurality of apertures, the housing further having at least a first baffle portion coupled to an inner surface of the housing, the first baffle portion being disposed proximate at least one aperture of the fourth plurality of apertures and one aperture of the first plurality of apertures for reducing turbulence in the fluid when the fluid flows past the first baffle portion.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first rotating member further comprises a fourth passageway extending generally axially in the first rotating member configured to receive the fluid from the third passageway, and a fifth plurality of apertures extending from a second exterior surface of the first rotating member to the fourth passageway, and the housing further having a sixth plurality of apertures extending therethrough that communicate with both the fluid source and the fifth plurality of apertures in the first rotating member, the coolant fluid flowing from the fourth passageway in the first rotating member and through the fifth plurality of apertures in the first rotating member and the sixth plurality of apertures in the housing to the fluid source.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the housing further comprises a seventh plurality of apertures extending therethrough, each aperture of the seventh plurality of apertures being disposed proximate one aperture of the sixth plurality of apertures, the housing further having at least a first baffle portion coupled to an inner surface of the housing, the first baffle portion being disposed proximate at least one aperture of the seventh plurality of apertures and one aperture of the sixth plurality of apertures for reducing turbulence in the fluid when the fluid flows past the first baffle portion.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the sixth plurality of apertures are disposed circumferentially around the housing.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first rotating member is operably coupled to a superconductive rotor coil wherein the third passageway routes fluid to the coil for cooling the coil to a temperature less than or equal to a predetermined temperature.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the fluid source supplies the fluid at a predetermined pressure to the housing.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least a first sealing member operably coupled between the housing and the first rotating member.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the first sealing member comprises at least one of a ferro-fluidic seal, a brush seal, and a labyrinthine seal.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the fluid comprises a coolant fluid.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the coolant fluid comprises at least one of a helium fluid, a neon fluid, a hydrogen fluid, and a nitrogen.

13. A fluid transfer device for conveying a fluid from a fluid source to a rotating member, comprising:

a housing disposed around a first rotating member means extending along an axis, the housing having a first plurality of apertures extending therethrough that communicate with the fluid source; and

the first rotating member means for rotating about the axis relative to the housing, the first rotating member means having a second plurality of passageways extending from a first exterior surface of the first rotating member means to a third passageway extending generally axially within the first rotating member means, at least a portion of the second plurality of passageways communicating with at least a portion of the first plurality of apertures, wherein the fluid flows through the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of passageways to the third passageway in the first rotating member means.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first plurality of apertures of the housing are disposed circumferentially around the housing.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the housing has a fourth plurality of apertures extending therethrough, each aperture of the fourth plurality of apertures being disposed proximate one aperture of the first plurality of apertures, the housing further having at least a first baffle portion coupled to an inner surface of the housing, the first baffle portion being disposed proximate at least one aperture of the fourth plurality of apertures and one aperture of the first plurality of apertures for reducing turbulence in the fluid when the fluid flows past the first baffle portion.