Test apparatus, system, and method having a magnetic feature

Abstract

A test apparatus involving a rotor coupled to a drive shaft, wherein the drive shaft is mechanically coupled to a drive system; a stator coupled to a brush holder; a brush held by the brush holder, wherein the brush is held in contact with the rotor; a housing for supporting the rotor and the stator; and a superconducting magnet for providing a magnetic field in the vicinity of the brush, in accordance with one embodiment.

1 . A test apparatus, comprising:
 a rotor coupled to a drive shaft, wherein the drive shaft is mechanically coupled to a drive system;   a stator coupled to at least one brush holder;   at least one brush held by the at least one brush holder, wherein the at least one brush is held in contact with the rotor;   a housing for supporting the rotor and the stator; and   a superconducting magnet for providing a magnetic field in a vicinity of the at least one brush.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one gas delivery tube to supplies gas to the at least one brush holder for controlling a pressure that the at least one brush exerts on the rotor. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an environmental chamber enclosing the rotor and the at least one brush. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising at least one data acquisition system. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first power supply connector for supplying power to the at least one brush; and   a second power supply connector for supplying power to the superconducting magnet.   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a magnet housing for accommodating the superconducting magnet, wherein the magnet housing comprises a vacuum-sealed super-cooling housing. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drive system comprises a motor and drive belt coupled to the drive shaft. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a support structure for supporting the housing, the stator, the rotor, and the drive shaft. 
   
   
       9 . A test system, comprising:
 a test apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 a stator; 
 at least one brush holder coupled to the stator; 
 at least one brush held by the at least one brush holder; 
 a rotor positioned to contact the at least one brush; 
 a drive shaft coupled to the rotor; and 
 a superconducting magnet for supplying a magnetic field to a location at which the at least one brush contacts the rotor; 
   a drive system coupled to the drive shaft;   a power supply for providing power to the at least one brush; and   a power supply for providing power to the superconducting magnet.   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising an environmental chamber enclosing the rotor and the at least one brush. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a data acquisition system coupled to the test apparatus. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising an environmental delivery system for supplying gas to the environmental chamber. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a gas delivery system for supplying gas to the at least one brush holder. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a chiller coupled to the test apparatus for controlling a temperature of the rotor and the at least one brush. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a magnet housing, wherein the magnet housing is a vacuum-sealed super-cooling housing for the superconducting magnet. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a cryo-cooler for cooling the superconducting magnet. 
   
   
       17 . A method of testing at least one brush, comprising:
 rotating a rotor of a test apparatus;   providing power from a brush power supply to at least one brush in contact with the rotor;   providing power from a magnet power supply to a superconducting magnet; and   generating a magnetic field from the superconducting magnet in a vicinity of the at least one brush and the rotor.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising acquiring data related to an operation of the at least one brush. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising providing gas to an environmental chamber enclosing the rotor and the at least one brush. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising acquiring at least one of temperature data and pressure data within the environmental chamber.