Superconducting devices, such as slip-rings and homopolar motors/generators

• Main Authors: Witherspoon, Barry K, Lewis, Norris E
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 30.03.2021
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER; CURRENT COLLECTORS; DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES; ELECTRICITY; GENERATION; LINE CONNECTORS

A device {i.e., a slip-ring or a homopolar motor/generator) (40, 50, 80) is adapted to provide electrical contact between a stator and a rotor (41, 83), and includes: a current-carrying brush-spring (31, 84) mounted on the stator, and having two opposite surfaces; a fibrous brush assembly (35, 69) mounted on the conductor, the brush assembly having a bundle of fibers (36, 71) arranged such that the tips of the fibers will engage the rotor for transferring electrical current between the stator and rotor; a ribbon (33, 85) of superconducting material mounted on each opposite surface of the current-carrying brush-spring and communicating with the stator and the brush assembly; and another ribbon (29, 86) of superconducting material mounted on the rotor. The device is submerged in a cryogenic fluid at a temperature below the transition temperatures of the superconducting materials such that the electrical resistivity of the device will be reduced and the current-transfer capability of the device will be increased.