Greatly prolonged period non-interruptible power supply system

Claim 2

A mechanically driven ac generator system capable of generating ac potential for a greatly prolonged period of time after external power to the driving means for the generator system fails, the system comprising (a) a rotatable ac generator comprising a main ac generator for producing a main ac potential having a selected voltage and frequency while the generator is rotating within a given RPM range and-a rotatable auxiliary ac generator operatively connected to the main ac generator and producing a secondary high frequency ac potential, the rotational kinetic energy of the main and auxiliary generators at their normal operating speed being only sufficient to enable the main ac generator to rotate in the given RPM range for a short period of time after the external power to the driving means fails, (b) driving means energizable from the external source of power to rotate the main ac and the auxiliary ac generators, the driving means ceasing to cause the generators to rotate at their normal operating speed when the external source of power fails, and (c) a sealed chamber containing a high speed ac induction motor connected to and driving a flywheel, the high speed ac motor being energizable with the high frequency ac potential from the auxiliary ac generator to cause it to rotate at high speed whereby large amounts of kinetic energy are stored in the motor and flywheel, windage losses being low due to a low windage loss atmosphere being present in the sealed chamber, the ac motor capable of functioning as a generator when the driving means ceases to operate and the main and the auxiliary ac generators begin to slow down, so that it will generate high frequency ac potential by converting the stored rotational kinetic energy in the flywheel and its rotor and to supply such high frequency ac to the auxiliary generator which will then function as a motor to drive the main ac generator for a greatly prolonged time in the given RPM range.

Claim 3

A generator as claimed in Claim 1, wherein there are present control means interconnecting the rotatable ac generator, the driving means, the external source of electrical power, the ac induction motor and the auxiliary generator with each other so that when electrical power from the external source is available, the drive means can be energized to cause rotation of the ac generator in the given RPM range and main ac potential at the constant voltage and frequency is generated, high frequency ac potential is conveyed to the ac induction motor from the auxiliary generator and the ac induction motor and its flywheel are brought up to a high speed whereby large amounts of kinetic energy are stored therein, and upon failure of the external source of electrical power, the circuit to the drive means from the external source is disconnected and the ac induction motor begins to function as a generator and supplies high frequency ac potential to the auxiliary generator which thereupon functions as a motor and drives the main ac generator so that its speed is maintained in the given RPM range for an extremely prolonged period of time.

Claim 4

A generator system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the main ac generator comprises at least one rotor field core of high permeability soft magnetic material having a surface of revolution with an affixed layer of magnetizable permanent magnetic material on such surface, and at least one stator armature relatively movable with respect to the rotor field core, the armature having a core of high permeability soft magnetic material with a complementary surface of revolution operatively juxtaposed to the permanent magnetic surface on the field core, the armature having an exciting coil with a pole piece so disposed that when the exciting coil is energized with-ac potential the pole piece will induce in the rotating juxtaposed layer of magnetizable permanent magnetic material a selected pattern of north and south magnetic poles having a given remanent magnetic flux strength, and power output windings in the armature for generating an ac potential output during relative movement of the so magnetized field core to the armature.

Claim 5

A generator system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the auxiliary ac generator comprises a field core of high permeability soft magnetic material with a surface of revolution comprising a layer of permanent magnetic material affixed to the field core and magnetized with a predetermined pattern of north and south magnetic poles at a selected remanent magnetic field strength, and an armature comprising a core of high permeability soft magnetic material with a surface of revolution of the field core whereby to generate a high frequency ac potential when the field core and the armature are rotated with respect to each other.

Claim 6

A generator system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the ac induction motor in the evacuated chamber rotates at a speed of from about 3 to 20 times the speed of the main ac generator, and the rotor and flywheel being of a size to enable storing rotational kinetic energy equal to about at least a few minutes and up to a substantial portion of an hour of the output of the main ac generator.

Claim 7

A constant frequency ac generator system capable of generating an ac potential output at a substantially constant selected frequency and at a selected constant voltage, such ac potential being continued for a greatly prolonged period of time after normal driving power to the generator ceases, the system comprising: (a) a rotatable ac generator comprising (i) a main generator for generating a main ac potential output at a selected substantially constant frequency and at a selected substantially constant voltage, the main generator comprising at least one field core of high permeability soft magnetic material having a surface revolution and a layer of magnetizable permanent magnetic material on the surface of revolution, an armature for each field core having a core of high permeability soft magnetic material with a surface of revolution complementary to the surface on the field core and operatively juxtaposed to it for relative rotational movement of the field core to the armature, the armature having an exciting coil with a pole piece so disposed that when ac potential energizes the exciting coil the pole piece will induce in the layer of permanent magnet material rotating with respect to it a selected pattern of north and south magnetic poles having a selected remanent magnetic flux, and power output windings in the armature for generating the main ac potential output during relative movement with respect thereto of the magnetically patterned layer of magnetic material in the field core, the constant frequency, constant voltage ac being maintained while the generator rotates within a wide given RPM range, and (ii) an auxiliary generator operatively connected to the main generator, the auxiliary generator comprising a field core of high permeability soft magnetic material with a surface of revolution having a layer of permanent magnetic material magnetized in a predetermined pattern of north and south magnetic poles thereon and an armature of high permeability soft magnetic material having a surface of revolution complementary to the surface on the field core and operatively juxtaposed for rotation with respect thereto, and windings in the armature for generating ac potential generated in the main generator, the auxiliary generator capable of functioning as a motor to drive the main generator when high frequency ac potential is supplied to its armature windings, the rotational kinetic energy of the main generator and the auxiliary generator capable of energizing the main generator to continue producing the main ac potential output for only a short period of time after normal driving power to the generator ceases before its speed falls below the given RPM range, (b) drive means energizable from an external source of electrical power for normally driving both the main and the auxiliary generators, the external source of electrical power being characterized by irregularities and occasional total failure for periods of time during which the driving means will fail to supply energy to rotate the main and auxiliary generators, (c) a sealed chamber containing an ac induction motor connected to and driving a flywheel, the ac induction motor being energizable with the high frequency ac potential from the auxiliary generator whereby it will be caused to rotate at a much higher RPM than the main generator, whereby large amounts of kinetic energy can be stored in the ac motor and flywheel, windage losses of the ac induction motor being low due to the low windage properties of selected atmosphere in the sealed chamber, and, when the electrical power to the drive means is interrupted the ac induction motor can function as a generator by converting the stored rotational kinetic energy into high frequency ac potential which can be supplied to the auxiliary generator to cause it to function as a motor to drive the main generator when the drive means fails, and (d) control means for the interconnecting the rotatable ac generator, the drive means, and the ac induction motor the control means being responsive to the operativeness of the drive means, to convey under selected conditions high frequency ac potential from the auxiliary generator during normal operation of the rotatable ac generators so as to bring the ac induction motor and its flywheel up to the selected high speed, and to maintain their rotation at such high speed, and, upon failure of the electrical power from the external source to the drive means, the control means disconnects the circuit to the external source and the ac induction motor will function as a generator of high frequency ac potential by converting the rotational kinetic energy therein and supplies it to the auxiliary ac generator to cause it to operate as a motor to drive the main ac generator and keep its speed in the given RPM range for an extremely long period of time so that the main generator will generate substantially constant frequency, substantially constant voltage ac potential output without any interruption, and upon resumption of electrical power from the external source, the control means reconnects the circuit to enable operation of the drive means so that the main ac generator and the auxiliary ac generators will again operate normally, with the auxiliary generator then supplying high frequency ac potential to the ac induction motor to bring it up to selected high speed to recover its rotational kinetic energy.

Claim 8

A constant frequency ac generator system capable of generating an ac potential output at a substantially constant selected frequency and at a selected constant voltage, such ac potential being continued for a greatly prolonged period of time after normal driving power to the generator ceases, the system comprising: (a) a rotatable ac generator comprising (i) a main generator for generating a main ac potential output at a selected substantially constant frequency and at a selected substantially constant voltage, the main generator comprising at least one field core of high permeability soft magnetic material having a surface revolution and a layer of magnetizable permanent magnetic material on the surface of revolution, an armature for each field core having a core of high permeability soft magnetic material with a surface of revolution complementary to the surface on the field core and operatively juxtaposed to it for relative rotational movement of the field core to the armature, the armature having an exciting coil with a pole piece so disposed that when ac potential energizes the exciting coil the pole piece will induce in the layer of permanent magnet material rotating with respect to it a selected pattern of north and south magnetic poles having a selected remanent magnetic flux, and power output windings in the armature for generating the main ac potential output during relative movement with respect thereto of the magnetically patterned layer of magnetic material in the field core, the constant frequency, constant voltage ac being maintained while the generator rotates within a wide given RPM range, and (ii) an auxiliary generator operatively connected to the main generator, the auxiliary generator comprising a field core of high permeability soft magnetic material with a surface of revolution having a layer of permanent magnetic material magnetized in a predetermined pattern of north and south magnetic poles thereon and an armature of high permeability soft magnetic material having a surface of revolution complementary to the surface on the field core and operatively juxtaposed for rotation with respect thereto, and windings in the armature for generating ac potential generated in the main generator, the auxiliary generator capable of functioning as a motor to drive the main generator when high frequency ac potential is supplied to its armature windings, the rotational kinetic energy of the main generator and the auxiliary generator capable of energizing the main generator to continue producing the main ac potential output for only a short period of time after normal driving power to the generator ceases before its speed falls below the given RPM range, (b) drive means energizable from an external source of electrical power for normally driving both the main and the auxiliary generators, the external source of electrical power being characterized by irregularities and occasional total failure for periods of time during which the driving means will fail to supply energy to rotate the main and auxiliary generators, (c) a sealed chamber containing an ac induction motor connected to and driving a flywheel, the ac induction motor being energizable with the high frequency ac potential from the auxiliary generator whereby it will be caused to rotate at a much higher RPM than the main generator, whereby large amounts of kinetic energy can be stored in the ac motor and flywheel, windage losses of the ac induction motor being low due to the low windage properties of selected atmosphere in the sealed chamber, and, when the electrical power to the drive means is interrupted the ac induction motor can function as a generator by converting the stored rotational kinetic energy into high frequency ac potential which can be supplied to the auxiliary generator to cause it to function as a motor to drive the main generator when the drive means fails, and (d) control means for the interconnecting the rotatable ac generator, the drive means, and the ac induction motor the control means being responsive to the operativeness of the drive means, to convey under selected conditions high frequency ac potential from the auxiliary generator during normal operation of the rotatable ac generators so as to bring the ac induction motor and its flywheel up to the selected high speed, and to maintain their rotation at such high speed, and, upon failure of the electrical power from the external source to the drive means, the control means disconnects the circuit to the external source and the ac induction motor will function as a generator of high frequency ac potential by converting the rotational kinetic energy therein and supplies it to the auxiliary ac generator to cause it to operate as a motor to drive the main ac generator and keep its speed in the given RPM range for an extremely long period of time so that the main generator will generate substantially constant frequency, substantially constant voltage ac potential output without any interruption, and upon resumption of electrical power from the external source, the control means reconnects the circuit to enable operation of the drive means so that the main ac generator and the auxiliary ac generators will again operate normally, with the auxiliary generator then supplying high frequency ac potential to the ac induction motor to bring it up to selected high speed to recover its rotational kinetic energy.