Electrical generator or motor structure – Dynamoelectric – Conducting fluid
Patent
1992-05-21
1994-03-29
Stephan, Steven L.
Electrical generator or motor structure
Dynamoelectric
Conducting fluid
290 54, 290 42, 440 3, H02K 4404
Patent
active
052988180
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thrust generator which may be used as a superconducting Electro Magnetic Thruster (hereinafter referred as EMT) for ship propulsion devices, a Dynamic Positioning System for ocean platforms, an Electro-Magnetic pump for an electrically conductive fluid, such as, sea water, an MHD generator, and pumps and generators of pumping-up power systems. Conventionally, diploe, quadruple, saddle and racetrack type superconducting magnets are used for EMTs. These conventional EMTs may however, be too big and too heavy to provide enough thrust for full-scale ships and may be difficult to construct. Their magnetic field must be strong enough on 10 to 20 Teslas to obtain the efficient propulsion of EMT ships. The EMT having such a strong magnetic field may be while the size and weight of an on-board EMT propulsion device is limited by available hull space. Consequently, the size, weight, thrust force and high magnetic field of conventional EMTs has proven unsatisfactory. In view of this, there is an important technical problem to develop EMTs for practical use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A previous application by the present inventor, PCT/JP89/01153, disclosed a light weight and compact thrust generator includes superconducting magnets. According to that previous application, the superconducting EMT generator includes a superconducting solenoid magnet and a helical or spiral thrust duct with a pair of electrodes inserted in the hollow interior of the superconducting solenoid coil magnet. The openings of the inlet and the outlet of the spiral duct are provided along the longitudinal center axis of the solenoid coil magnet. In the case of sea water as a conductive fluid flowing the thrust duct an anode, or positive electrode, is arranged continuously on the inner side wall of the duct and a cathode, or negative electrode, is opposed to the outer side wall of the duct.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention improves upon the thrust generator disclosed in the previous application. In the thrust generator of the previous application as, the velocity of electromagnetic fluid flow increases, the propulsive energy efficiency, decreases due to frictional losses between the thrust duct wall and the fluid.
The present invention provides a thrust generators-with higher thrust and higher propulsive efficiency, and reduces fluid frictional losses by matching the velocity of the thrust duct with the velocity of the fluid by rotation of the thrust duct.
The present thrust generator has a structure wherein a helical duct is rotatably supported inside a hollow portion of a superconducting magnet of a solenoid coil type. An electromagnetic fluid, such as sea water flows through the thrust duct, and an electric current is supplied from a current feeder to the electromagnetic fluid inside the thrust duct so as to generate a Lorentz's force in magnetic fluid. The current feeders are mounted on the trust duct at equal intervals around the thrust duct. A Lorentz's force is also generated in each element of the current feeder by the magnetic field generated by the superconducting magnet and the electrode current flowing through each element. The Lorentz's force generated in the current feeders then rotates and drives the thrust duct.
The thrust generator according to the present invention may include a power busbar apparatus for, supplying the electric current into current feeders. The power busbar apparatus is made up of ringbars fixed at the center of the thrust duct and straight busbars in the longitudinal axis of the thrust duct for making contact with the current feeders.
The power busbar apparatus can be divided into rotatable structure and stationary structure types. In the case of the rotatable structure type providing the ability to rotate with the thrust duct, the power busbar apparatus is fixed to the current feeders mounted in the thrust duct and has slide terminals or roller terminals that make contact with the power supply gene
Jones Judson H.
Stephan Steven L.
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