Device for supplying electric power to a superconductor

Abstract

A device for supplying electric energy to at least one superconductor, with the superconductor being cooled in a cooled region to at least one predetermined temperature for achieving superconductivity, includes at least one electric energy source, and a transformer for transferring electric energy between the at least one energy source and the superconductor. The transformer has a primary winding electrically connected with the energy source and a secondary winding electrically connected with the superconductor, wherein at least the secondary winding of the transformer is arranged within the cooled region.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A device for supplying electric energy to at least one superconductor, said superconductor being cooled in a cooled region to at least one predetermined temperature for achieving superconductivity, comprising: 
 at least one electric energy source,    a transformer for transferring electric energy between the at least one energy source and the superconductor, said transformer having a primary winding electrically connected with the energy source and a secondary winding electrically connected with the superconductor,    wherein at least the secondary winding of the transformer is arranged within the cooled region.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary winding of the transformer is rotatable relative to the primary winding and rotates in unison with the superconductor.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the primary winding and the secondary winding of the transformer are spaced apart by an air gap.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a layer of an electrically insulating material is arranged between the primary winding and the secondary winding of the transformer.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a layer of a heat-insulating material is arranged between the primary winding and the secondary winding of the transformer.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the primary winding of the transformer is arranged outside the cooled region.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the primary winding of the transformer is arranged outside the cooled region.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the transformer transforms an AC voltage applied to the primary winding into an AC voltage in the secondary winding.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein a magnitude of the AC voltage in the secondary winding of the transformer is smaller than a magnitude of the AC voltage in the primary winding of the transformer.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein a magnitude of the AC voltage in the secondary winding of the transformer is greater than a magnitude of the AC voltage in the primary winding of the transformer.  
     
     
         11 . A device for supplying electric energy to at least one superconductor which is cooled in a cooled region to at least one predetermined temperature for achieving superconductivity, said device comprising: 
 at least one electric energy source    a first transformer and a second transformer, each transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding for transferring electric energy between the at least one energy source and the superconductor;    wherein the primary winding of the first transformer is electrically connected with the energy source, and the secondary winding of the second transformer is electrically connected with the superconductor; and    wherein at least the primary winding of the first transformer is arranged outside the cooled region.    
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the secondary winding of the first transformer is arranged outside the cooled region.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the primary winding of the second transformer is arranged outside the cooled region.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the secondary winding of the second transformer is arranged outside the cooled region.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the secondary winding of the second transformer is arranged outside the cooled region.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the secondary winding of the second transformer is also arranged outside the cooled region.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the secondary winding of the second transformer is also arranged outside the cooled region.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the primary winding of the second transformer is also arranged inside the cooled region.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the primary winding of the second transformer is also arranged inside the cooled region.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the secondary winding of the first transformer is also arranged inside the cooled region.  
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the superconductor is rotatable.  
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the superconductor is rotatable.  
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the superconductor is rotatable.  
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the superconductor is rotatable.  
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the superconductor is rotatable.  
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the secondary winding of one of the first and second transformers is rotatable relative to the primary winding of that first or second transformer and also rotates with the superconductor.  
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the secondary winding of one of the first and second transformers is rotatable relative to the primary winding of that first or second transformer and also rotates with the superconductor.  
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein the secondary winding of one of the first and second transformers is rotatable relative to the primary winding of that first or second transformer and also rotates with the superconductor.  
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the primary winding and the secondary winding of the second transformer are spaced apart by an air gap.  
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein a layer of an electrically insulating material is arranged between the primary winding and the secondary winding of the second transformer.  
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein a layer of a heat-insulating material is arranged between the primary winding and the secondary winding of the second transformer.  
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second transformers transforms an AC voltage applied to the primary winding of the corresponding first or second transformer into an AC voltage in the secondary winding of the corresponding first or second transformer.  
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 32 , wherein a magnitude of the AC voltage in the secondary winding of at least one of the transformers is smaller than the AC voltage in the primary winding of the at least one transformer.  
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 32 , wherein a magnitude of the AC voltage in the secondary winding of at least one of the transformers is greater than the AC voltage in the primary winding of the at least one transformer.  
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein an AC voltage applied to the primary winding of the second transformer, which is connected with the secondary winding of the first transformer, is transformed into an AC voltage of the secondary winding of the second transformer that is provided to the superconductor.  
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein a magnitude of the AC voltage at the secondary winding of the second transformer is smaller than a magnitude of the AC voltage at the primary winding of the second transformer.  
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein a magnitude of the AC voltage at the secondary winding of the second transformer is greater than a magnitude of the AC voltage at the primary winding of the second transformer.  
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one rectifier is electrically connected upstream of the superconductor.  
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein the rectifier is telemetrically controlled.  
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one MOSFET switch is electrically connected upstream of the superconductor.  
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the transformer is operated at high frequencies.  
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the primary winding and the secondary winding of the transformer are arranged axially side-by-side.  
     
     
         43 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the primary winding and the secondary 3inding of the transformer are radially stacked on top of one another.  
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the primary winding and the secondary winding of the transformer are arranged at, on, or in a common magnetic flux-conducting body.  
     
     
         45 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the primary winding of the transformer is arranged at, on, or in a first magnetic flux-conducting body, and the secondary winding of the transformer is arranged at, on, or in a second magnetic flux-conducting body.  
     
     
         46 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein at least one rectifier is electrically 6onnected upstream of the superconductor.  
     
     
         47 . The device of  claim 46 , wherein the rectifier is telemetrically controlled.  
     
     
         48 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein at least one MOSFET switch is electrically connected upstream of the superconductor.  
     
     
         49 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the first transformer or the second transformer, or both, are operated at high frequencies.  
     
     
         50 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the primary winding and the secondary winding of at least one of the first and second transformers are arranged axially side-by-side.  
     
     
         51 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the primary winding and the secondary winding of at least one of the first and second transformers are radially stacked on top of one another.  
     
     
         52 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the primary winding and the secondary winding of at least one of the first and second transformers are arranged at, on, or in a common magnetic flux-conducting body.  
     
     
         53 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the primary winding and the secondary winding of the first transformer are arranged at, on, or in a first magnetic flux-conducting body, and the primary winding and the secondary winding of the second transformer are arranged at, on, or in a second magnetic flux-conducting body.  
     
     
         54 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the superconductor comprises a superconducting winding.  
     
     
         55 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the superconductor comprises a superconducting winding.  
     
     
         56 . An electric motor, comprising: 
 at least one superconducting winding;    a device for supplying electric energy to the at least one superconducting winding, said superconducting winding being cooled in a cooled region to at least one predetermined temperature for achieving superconductivity;    at least one electric energy source, a transformer for transferring electric energy between the at least one energy source and the superconducting winding, said transformer having a primary winding electrically connected with the energy source and a secondary winding electrically connected with the superconducting winding, wherein at least the secondary winding of the transformer is arranged within the cooled region.    
     
     
         57 . The electric motor of  claim 56 , further comprising a rotor, wherein the at least one superconducting winding is disposed on the rotor.  
     
     
         58 . An electric motor, comprising 
 at least one superconducting winding;    a device for supplying electric energy to the at least one superconducting winding, said superconducting winding being cooled in a cooled region to at least one predetermined temperature for achieving superconductivity;    at least one electric energy source; and    a first transformer and a second transformer, each transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding for transferring electric energy between the at least one energy source and the superconducting winding, wherein the primary winding of the first transformer is electrically connected with the energy source and the secondary winding of the second transformer is electrically connected with the superconducting winding, and wherein at least the primary winding of the first transformer is arranged outside the cooled region.    
     
     
         59 . The electric motor of  claim 58 , further comprising a rotor, wherein the at least one superconducting winding is disposed on the rotor.