Suspended rotors for use in electrical generators and other devices

Abstract

Apparatuses employing suspended rotors are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a housing forming an internal cavity and a rotor disposed in the internal cavity of the housing. The rotor has a first end and a second end. The apparatus also includes a first end ring coupled to the first end of the rotor and a second end ring coupled to the second end of the rotor. The first end ring and the second end ring are each magnetically repulsed from the housing to cause the rotor to be suspended relative to the housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a housing forming an internal cavity;   a rotor disposed in the internal cavity of the housing, the rotor having a first end and a second end;   a first end ring coupled to the first end of the rotor; and   a second end ring coupled to the second end of the rotor, wherein the first end ring and the second end ring are each magnetically repulsed from the housing to cause the rotor to be suspended relative to the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing has a first end adapted to face the first end ring, the first end of the housing comprising a first housing magnet having a magnetic polarity;
 wherein the housing has a second end adapted to face the second end ring, the second end of the housing comprising a second housing magnet having the magnetic polarity;   wherein the first end ring has the same magnetic polarity as the first housing magnet; and   wherein the second end ring has the same magnetic polarity as the second housing magnet.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first rotor interface adjacent the first end of the rotor, the first rotor interface comprising one or more first interface magnets having a magnetic polarity; and   a second rotor interface adjacent the second end of the rotor, the second rotor interface comprising one or more second interface magnets having the magnetic polarity;   wherein the first end ring has the same magnetic polarity as the one or more first interface magnets; and   wherein the second end ring has the same magnetic polarity as the one or more second interface magnets.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor forms an internal flow passage in fluid communication with a fluid conduit. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first end ring forms a first aperture defined by a first inner end ring surface;
 wherein the second end ring forms a second aperture defined by a second inner end ring surface;   wherein the first end of the rotor is coupled to the first inner end ring surface; and   wherein the second end of the rotor is coupled to the second inner end ring surface.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second end rings each have an outer diameter;
 wherein the rotor has a diameter; and   wherein the outer diameter of each of the first and second end rings is larger than the diameter of the rotor.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor has an internal surface forming an internal flow passage, the apparatus further comprising:
 a spiraling fin coupled to the internal surface of the rotor, wherein fluid flow through the internal flow passage causes the spiraling fin and the rotor to rotate within the internal cavity of the housing.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a motor operatively coupled to the rotor, the motor operable to rotate the rotor within the internal cavity of the housing.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second end rings are at least partially formed from magnets having a magnetic polarity. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first end ring comprises one or more first end ring magnets having the magnetic polarity; and
 wherein the second end ring comprises one or more second end ring magnets having the magnetic polarity.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more strips that at least partially spiral around an outer surface of the rotor.   
     
     
         12 . An apparatus comprising:
 a housing forming an internal cavity, the housing comprising one or more coils;   a rotor disposed in the internal cavity of the housing, the rotor having a first end and a second end, the rotor having an internal surface forming an internal flow passage, the rotor comprising one or more rotor magnets;   a fin coupled to the internal surface of the rotor;   a first end ring coupled to the first end of the rotor; and   a second end ring coupled to the second end of the rotor;   wherein the first and second end rings are magnetically repulsed from the housing to cause the rotor to be suspended relative to the housing; and   wherein the fin is operable to engage with fluid flowing through the internal flow passage to cause the rotor to rotate and the one or more rotor magnets to move relative to the one or more coils.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the fin is a spiraling plane. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the rotor is in a substantially non-touching relationship with the housing when the rotor is suspended relative to the housing. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the housing has an internal surface forming the internal cavity; and
 wherein the rotor is suspended relative to the housing such that an outer flow space is formed between the rotor and the internal surface of the housing.