Hybrid excited generator with flux control of consequent-pole rotor

Claim 2

An electrical machine, comprising: a rotor having a plurality of poles, said poles including alternate high reluctance permanent magnet poles and low reluctance consequent ferromagnetic poles; a stator assembly having a polyphase winding thereon; a control coil mounted on said stator assembly for generating a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said control coil, said control flux entering the stator assembly over the entire axial length thereof; and a ferromagnetic frame for completing the path of said control flux generated by said control coil.

Claim 3

An axial gap consequent pole electrical machine, comprising: a rotor having a first plurality of poles thereon, said poles being alternating high reluctance poles and low reluctance poles; a first stator assembly having a polyphase winding thereon for generating an output voltage, said first stator assembly being mounted about said rotor and producing an output voltage when said rotor is turned; means for providing a variable control flux to said first plurality of poles on said rotor to vary said output voltage comprising a voltage control coil for generating a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said control coil, said output voltage varying in response to said control flux; and a ferromagnetic frame and a ferromagnetic shaft through said rotor, wherein said ferromagnetic frame completes the path of said control flux through said ferromagnetic shaft, through said rotor including said first plurality of poles, and through said first stator assembly.

Claim 4

An axial gap consequent pole electrical machine, comprising: a rotor having a first plurality of poles thereon, said poles being alternating high reluctance poles and low reluctance poles; a first stator assembly having a polyphase winding thereon for generating an output voltage, said first stator assembly being mounted about said rotor and producing an output voltage when said rotor is turned; means for providing a variable control flux to said first plurality of poles on said rotor to vary said output voltage comprising a voltage control coil for generating a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said control coil, said output voltage varying in response to said control flux; and a ferromagnetic frame and a ferromagnetic shaft through said rotor, wherein said ferromagnetic frame completes the path of said control flux through said ferromagnetic shaft, through said rotor including said first plurality of poles, and through said first stator assembly.

Claim 5

An electrical machine, comprising: a consequent pole rotor having a first plurality of poles thereon, said poles being alternating high reluctance poles and low reluctance poles; a first stator assembly having a polyphase winding thereon for generating an output voltage, said first stator assembly being mounted about said rotor and producing an output voltage when said rotor is turned; and means disposed on said first stator assembly for providing a variable control flux to said first plurality of poles on said rotor to vary said output voltage.

Claim 6

An electrical machine, comprising: a consequent pole rotor having a first plurality of poles thereon, said poles being alternating high reluctance poles and low reluctance poles; a first stator assembly having a polyphase winding thereon for generating an output voltage, said first stator assembly being mounted about said rotor and producing an output voltage when said rotor is turned; and means disposed on said first stator assembly for providing a variable control flux to said first plurality of poles on said rotor to vary said output voltage.

Claim 7

An electrical machine as defined in claim 3, wherein said providing means comprises: a voltage control coil for generating a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said control coil; and a ferromagnetic frame for completing the path of said control flux as it passes through said first plurality of poles, said output voltage varying in response to said control flux.

Claim 8

A radial air gap consequent pole electrical machine, comprising: a rotor having a first plurality of poles thereon, said poles being alternating high reluctance poles and low reluctance poles; a first stator assembly having a polyphase winding thereon for generating an output voltage, said first stator assembly being mounted about said rotor and producing an output voltage when said rotor is turned; and means disposed on said first stator assembly for providing a variable control flux to said first plurality of poles on said rotor to vary said output voltage, said providing means comprising a voltage control coil for generating a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said control coil and a ferromagnetic frame for completing the path of said control flux as it passes through said first plurality of poles, said output voltage varying in response to said control flux.

Claim 9

A radial air gap consequent pole electrical machine, comprising: a rotor having a first plurality of poles thereon, said poles being alternating high reluctance poles and low reluctance poles; a first stator assembly having a polyphase winding thereon for generating an output voltage, said first stator assembly being mounted about said rotor and producing an output voltage when said rotor is turned; and means disposed on said first stator assembly for providing a variable control flux to said first plurality of poles on said rotor to vary said output voltage, said providing means comprising a voltage control coil for generating a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said control coil and a ferromagnetic frame for completing the path of said control flux as it passes through said first plurality of poles, said output voltage varying in response to said control flux.

Claim 10

An electrical machine as defined in claim 5, wherein said ferromagnetic frame completes the path of said control flux through said first stator assembly, and through said rotor including said first plurality of poles.

Claim 11

An axial gap consequent pole electrical machine, comprising: a rotor having a first plurality of poles thereon, said poles being alternating high reluctance poles and low reluctance poles; a first stator assembly having a polyphase winding thereon for generating an output voltage, said first stator assembly being mounted about said rotor and producing an output voltage when said rotor is turned; and means disposed on said first stator assembly for providing a variable control flux to said first plurality of poles on said rotor to vary said output voltage, said providing means comprising a voltage control coil for generating a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said control coil and a ferrogmagnetic frame for completing the path of said control flux as it passes through said first plurality of poles, said output voltage varying in response to said control flux.

Claim 12

An axial gap consequent pole electrical machine, comprising: a rotor having a first plurality of poles thereon, said poles being alternating high reluctance poles and low reluctance poles; a first stator assembly having a polyphase winding thereon for generating an output voltage, said first stator assembly being mounted about said rotor and producing an output voltage when said rotor is turned; and means disposed on said first stator assembly for providing a variable control flux to said first plurality of poles on said rotor to vary said output voltage, said providing means comprising a voltage control coil for generating a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said control coil and a ferrogmagnetic frame for completing the path of said control flux as it passes through said first plurality of poles, said output voltage varying in response to said control flux.

Claim 13

An electrical machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said high reluctance poles are permanent magnet poles and said low reluctance poles are consequent ferromagnetic poles.

Claim 14

An electrical machine as defined in claim 8, wherein said permanent magnet poles are made of high magnetic energy product material.

Claim 15

An electrical machine as defined in claim 9, wherein said high magnetic energy product material is a member of the group comprising samarium cobalt and neodymium iron.

Claim 16

An electrical machine as defined in claim 2, wherein said rotor comprises: a ferromagnetic yoke, said permanent magnets being mounted on said ferromagnetic yoke, said ferromagnetic yoke having projections between said permanent magnets, said projections being said ferromagnetic poles.

Claim 17

An electrical machine as defined in claim 11, additionally comprising: a second stator assembly having a polyphase winding thereon, said polyphase winding of said first stator assembly being electrically connected to said polyphase winding of said second stator assembly to provide said output voltage, wherein said first plurality of poles are located at one end of said rotor; a second plurality of poles on said rotor at the other end of said rotor, said second plurality of poles being alternating high reluctance permanent magnet poles mounted on said ferromagnetic yoke and low reluctance poles formed by projections from said ferromagnetic yoke, said first plurality of poles being within said first stator assembly, and said second plurality of poles being within said second stator assembly.

Claim 18

An electrical machine as defined in claim 12, wherein said providing means comprises: a voltage control coil for generating a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said control coil, said control coil being located between said first stator assembly and said second stator assembly and around said rotor; and a ferromagnetic frame surrounding said first stator assembly, said control coil, and said second control coil, said ferromagnetic frame completing the path of said control flux as it passes through said first and second set of poles, said output voltage varying in response to said control flux.

Claim 19

An electrical machine, comprising: a first stator assembly having a polyphase winding thereon; a second stator assembly having a polyphase winding thereon, said polyphase winding of said first stator assembly being electrically connected to said polyphase winding of said second stator assembly to provide an electrical output; a rotor having thereon a first set of poles at one end thereof, and a second set of poles at the other end thereof, said first and second sets of poles each including alternating high reluctance permanent magnet poles and low reluctance consequent ferromagnetic poles, said first set of poles being located within said first stator assembly and said second set of poles being located within said second stator assembly, said electrical output being provided when said rotor is rotated; a voltage control coil for generating a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said control coil, said control coil being located between said first stator assembly and said second stator assembly and around said rotor; and a cylindrical ferromagnetic frame surrounding said first stator assembly, said control coil, and said second stator assembly, said ferromagnetic frame completing the path of said control flux as it passes through said first and second set of poles, said output voltage varying in response to said control flux.

Claim 20

An electrical machine, comprising: a first stator assembly having a polyphase winding thereon; a second stator assembly having a polyphase winding thereon, said polyphase winding of said first stator assembly being electrically connected to said polyphase winding of said second stator assembly to provide an electrical output; a rotor having thereon a first set of poles at one end thereof, and a second set of poles at the other end thereof, said first and second sets of poles each including alternating high reluctance permanent magnet poles and low reluctance consequent ferromagnetic poles, said first set of poles being located within said first stator assembly and said second set of poles being located within said second stator assembly, said electrical output being provided when said rotor is rotated; a voltage control coil for generating a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said control coil, said control coil being located between said first stator assembly and said second stator assembly and around said rotor; and a cylindrical ferromagnetic frame surrounding said first stator assembly, said control coil, and said second stator assembly, said ferromagnetic frame completing the path of said control flux as it passes through said first and second set of poles, said output voltage varying in response to said control flux.

Claim 21

An electrical machine as defined in claim 14, wherein said first set of poles and second set of poles are so arranged and configured as to have permanent magnet poles in said first set of poles aligned with ferromagnetic poles in said second set of poles, and vice-versa, with conductors from said polyphase winding of said first stator assembly passing straight through to said polyphase winding of said second stator assembly.

Claim 22

An electrical machine as defined in claim 15, wherein cogging is suppressed by skewing said conductors from said polyphase winding of said first stator assembly by one slot pitch rather than going straight through to said polyphase winding of said second stator assembly.

Claim 23

An electrical machine as defined in claim 15, wherein cogging is suppressed by skewing said first set of poles one slot pitch away from the configuration described in claim 15.

Claim 24

An electrical machine as defined in claim 14, wherein said first set of poles and said second set of poles are so arranged and configured as to have permanent magnet poles in said first set of poles aligned with permanent magnet poles in said second set of poles, and ferromagnetic poles in said first set of poles aligned with ferromagnetic poles in said second set of poles, with conductors from said polyphase winding of said first stator assembly being pitched over by 180 electrical degrees to said polyphase winding of said second stator assembly.

Claim 25

An electrical machine as defined in claim 18, wherein each ferromagnetic pole in said first set of poles aligned with a ferromagnetic pole from said second set of poles is formed of a unitary segment of ferromagnetic material.

Claim 26

An electrical machine, comprising: a rotor having a plurality of poles, said poles including alternate high reluctance permanent magnet poles and low reluctance consequent ferromagnetic poles; a first stator assembly having a polyphase winding thereon; a control coil mounted on said first stator assembly for generating a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said control coil; and a ferromagnetic frame for completing the path of said control flux generated by said control coil.

Claim 27

An electrical machine, comprising: a rotor having a plurality of poles, said poles including alternate high reluctance permanent magnet poles and low reluctance consequent ferromagnetic poles; a first stator assembly having a polyphase winding thereon; a control coil mounted on said first stator assembly for generating a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said control coil; and a ferromagnetic frame for completing the path of said control flux generated by said control coil.

Claim 30

An electrical machine, comprising: a permanent magnet rotor including a ferromagnetic yoke having a pair of oppositely disposed radially outwardly extending consequent ferromagnetic poles, a pair of permanent magnets oppositely disposed about the periphery of said ferromagnetic yoke generally between the consequent ferromagnetic poles thereof, non-ferromagnetic conducting material damper bars generally disposed between adjacent permanent magnets and ferromagnetic projections, and a retaining hoop disposed around said permanent magnets, said ferromagnetic projections, and said damper bars; a polyphase winding stator operably associated with said rotor to produce an output voltage when said rotor is turned; and means operably associated with said stator to control the output voltage therefrom.

Claim 31

An electrical machine, comprising: a permanent magnet rotor including a ferromagnetic yoke having a pair of oppositely disposed radially outwardly extending consequent ferromagnetic poles, a pair of permanent magnets oppositely disposed about the periphery of said ferromagnetic yoke generally between the consequent ferromagnetic poles thereof, non-ferromagnetic conducting material damper bars generally disposed between adjacent permanent magnets and ferromagnetic projections, and a retaining hoop disposed around said permanent magnets, said ferromagnetic projections, and said damper bars; a polyphase winding stator operably associated with said rotor to produce an output voltage when said rotor is turned; and means operably associated with said stator to control the output voltage therefrom.

Claim 32

The electrical machine of claim 22 wherein said output voltage control means is a control coil disposed on said stator to provide a variable control flux to said permanent magnet rotor.

Claim 33

The electrical machine of claim 23 wherein said control coil is mounted at one end of said polyphase winding stator in juxtaposition to at least a portion of said ferromagnetic yoke.

Claim 34

The electrical machine of claim 22 wherein said polyphase winding stator is concentrically disposed about said rotor.

Claim 35

The electrical machine of claim 22 wherein said polyphase winding stator is axially aligned with said rotor.

Claim 36

An electrical machine, comprising: a permanent magnet rotor including a ferromagnetic yoke having a pair of oppositely disposed radially outwardly extending consequent ferromagnetic poles, a pair of permanent magnets oppositely disposed about the periphery of said ferromagnetic yoke generally between the consequent ferromagnetic poles thereof, non-ferromagnetic conducting material damper bars generally disposed between adjacent permanent magnets and ferromagnetic projections, and a retaining hoop disposed around said permanent magnets, said ferromagnetic projections, and said damper bars; a stator having a first polyphase winding core disposed about one end of said rotor and a second polyphase winding core disposed about the other end of said rotor and electrically connected to said first polyphase winding core; and a voltage control coil mounted on said stator between said first and second polyphase winding cores to generate a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said voltage control coil.

Claim 37

An electrical machine, comprising: a permanent magnet rotor including a ferromagnetic yoke having a pair of oppositely disposed radially outwardly extending consequent ferromagnetic poles, a pair of permanent magnets oppositely disposed about the periphery of said ferromagnetic yoke generally between the consequent ferromagnetic poles thereof, non-ferromagnetic conducting material damper bars generally disposed between adjacent permanent magnets and ferromagnetic projections, and a retaining hoop disposed around said permanent magnets, said ferromagnetic projections, and said damper bars; a stator having a first polyphase winding core disposed about one end of said rotor and a second polyphase winding core disposed about the other end of said rotor and electrically connected to said first polyphase winding core; and a voltage control coil mounted on said stator between said first and second polyphase winding cores to generate a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said voltage control coil.

Claim 40

An electrical machine comprising: a permanent magnet rotor including an axially extending ferromagnetic shaft, a ferromagnetic yoke disposed around one end of said axially extending ferromagnetic shaft and having a pair of oppositely disposed radially outwardly extending consequent ferromagnetic poles, a pair of permanent magnets oppositely disposed about the periphery of said ferromagnetic yoke generally between the consequent ferromagnetic poles thereof, non-ferromagnetic conducting material damper bars generally disposed between adjacent permanent magnets and ferromagnetic projections, and a retaining hoop disposed around said permanent magnets; a polyphase winding stator disposed about the other end of said axially extending ferromagnetic shaft; and a voltage control coil mounted on said stator opposite to said rotor to provide a variable control flux to said permanent magnet rotor.

Claim 41

An electrical machine comprising: a permanent magnet rotor including an axially extending ferromagnetic shaft, a ferromagnetic yoke disposed around one end of said axially extending ferromagnetic shaft and having a pair of oppositely disposed radially outwardly extending consequent ferromagnetic poles, a pair of permanent magnets oppositely disposed about the periphery of said ferromagnetic yoke generally between the consequent ferromagnetic poles thereof, non-ferromagnetic conducting material damper bars generally disposed between adjacent permanent magnets and ferromagnetic projections, and a retaining hoop disposed around said permanent magnets; a polyphase winding stator disposed about the other end of said axially extending ferromagnetic shaft; and a voltage control coil mounted on said stator opposite to said rotor to provide a variable control flux to said permanent magnet rotor.

Claim 42

An electrical machine, comprising: a permanent magnet rotor having a first set of alternating high reluctance permanent magnet poles and low reluctance consequent ferromagnetic poles at one end thereof and a second set of alternating high reluctance permanent magnet poles and low reluctance consequent ferromagnetic poles at the other end thereof; a stator having a first polyphase winding core disposed about the first set of poles at one end of said rotor and a second polyphase winding core disposed about the second set of poles at the other end of said rotor and electrically connected to said first polyphase winding core; and a voltage control coil mounted on said stator between said first and second polyphase winding cores to generate a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said voltage control coil.

Claim 43

An electrical machine, comprising: a permanent magnet rotor having a first set of alternating high reluctance permanent magnet poles and low reluctance consequent ferromagnetic poles at one end thereof and a second set of alternating high reluctance permanent magnet poles and low reluctance consequent ferromagnetic poles at the other end thereof; a stator having a first polyphase winding core disposed about the first set of poles at one end of said rotor and a second polyphase winding core disposed about the second set of poles at the other end of said rotor and electrically connected to said first polyphase winding core; and a voltage control coil mounted on said stator between said first and second polyphase winding cores to generate a control flux proportional to direct current supplied to said voltage control coil.

Claim 44

The electrical machine of claim 30 wherein the high reluctance permanent magnet poles of the first set of poles are axially aligned with the high reluctance permanent magnet poles of the second set of poles.

Claim 45

The electrical machine of claim 30 wherein the high reluctance permanent magnet poles of the first set of poles are axially aligned with the low reluctance consequent ferromagnetic poles of the second set of poles.

Claim 46

The electrical machine of claim 32 wherein the first polyphase winding of said stator is axially aligned with the second polyphase winding of said stator.

Claim 47

The electrical machine of claim 31 wherein the first polyphase winding of said stator is displaced 180 electrical degrees from the second polyphase winding of said stator.