METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN INSULATED SUPERCONDUCTING COIL, INSULATED SUPERCONDUCTING COIL, ELECTRIC MACHINE, AND HYBRID ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT

Abstract

In the method for producing an insulated superconducting coil, a coil is wound, and the coil is subsequently provided with an insulation by a low-pressure plasma. The insulated superconducting coil is produced by such a method. The electric machine is, in particular, a motor and/or a generator and includes at least one such insulated superconducting coil. The hybrid electric aircraft includes at least one such electric machine.

Claims

1. A method for producing an insulated superconducting coil, the method comprising: winding a coil; and subsequently providing the coil with an insulation by a low-pressure plasma.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein insulation is effected by a starting substance comprising at least one organosilicone compound and/or a hydrocarbon precursor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one organosilicone comprises hexamethyldisiloxane, vinyltrimethoxysilane, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the hydrocarbon precursor comprises ethene, ethyne, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the hydrocarbon precursor comprises ethene, ethyne, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the insulation forms a layer having an average thickness of at most 5 micrometers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the insulation forms a layer having an average thickness of at most 3 micrometers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the insulation forms a layer having an average thickness of at most 1 micrometer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the insulation forms a layer having a maximum thickness of at most 5 micrometers.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the insulation forms a layer having a maximum thickness of at most 3 micrometers.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the insulation forms a layer having a maximum thickness of at most 1 micrometer.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising: supplying an electrical power for providing the low-pressure plasma by at least one electrode.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one electrode or at least one electrode of a plurality of electrodes is contacted with the coil in an electrically conductive manner.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the electrically conductive manner comprises the at least one electrode touches the coil.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the electrical power is coupled in capacitively by the at least one electrode.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising: subjecting the coil to a thermal treatment, before the coil is provided with the insulation, by which the coil becomes superconducting.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising: subjecting the coil to a thermal treatment, after the coil is provided with the insulation, by which the coil becomes superconducting.

18. An insulated superconducting coil comprising: a wound coil; and a low-pressure plasma deposited insulation covering the wound coil, the insulation effected by at least one organosilicone compound and/or a hydrocarbon precursor.

19. An electric machine comprising: at least one insulated superconducting coil having: a wound coil; and a low-pressure plasma deposited insulation covering the wound coil, the insulation effected by at least one organosilicone compound and/or a hydrocarbon precursor, wherein the electric machine is a motor and/or generator.

20. An electric aircraft comprising: at least one electric machine having: at least one insulated superconducting coil comprising: a wound coil; and a low-pressure plasma deposited insulation covering the wound coil, the insulation effected by at least one organosilicone compound and/or a hydrocarbon precursor, wherein the electric machine is a motor and/or generator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The disclosure will be discussed in more detail below on the basis of an exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings.

[0025] FIG. 1 depicts an example of a device for insulating a superconducting coil by a low-pressure plasma schematically in cross section.

[0026] FIG. 2 depicts an example of a hybrid electric aircraft schematically in a plan view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] According to the disclosure, by the device 10 illustrated in FIG. 1, which forms a low-pressure plasma coating reactor, a wound superconducting coil 30 is provided with an insulation in a chamber 20 of the device. For this purpose, a superconducting coil 30 is used which has been wound in preceding acts of the method, the acts not being specifically described with reference to the drawing.

[0028] In the chamber 20 of the device 10, the coil 30 is provided with an insulation by a low-pressure plasma.

[0029] For this purpose, bar electrodes 40, 50 are present in the chamber 20 and provide an electrical power for generating the low-pressure plasma by virtue of the fact that they couple in the power capacitively. All the bar electrodes 40 are arranged within the coil 30 or outside the coil 30. A further bar electrode 50 bears against the coil 30 in an electrically conductive manner, such that the coil 30 and the other bar electrodes 40 are polarized differently. In principle, the further bar electrode 50 may also be contacted with the coil 30 by a conductive electrical connection.

[0030] A gas inlet is present (not specifically illustrated) within the chamber 20 of the device 10, by which inlet starting substances in the form of precursor gases pass into the chamber 20. The starting substances are organosilicone compounds, (such as hexamethyldisiloxane and vinyltrimethoxysilane and octamethylcycicotetrasiloxane), and/or hydrocarbon precursors, (for example, ethene and/or ethyne).

[0031] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, an insulating layer having a maximum thickness of less than one micrometer is deposited on the coil 30 by the low-pressure plasma.

[0032] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the coil 30, (before it is provided with the insulation), has been subjected to a thermal treatment such that the coil 30 is superconducting. In alternative exemplary embodiments, it is also possible for the coil 30 to be subjected to a thermal treatment only after it has been provided with the insulation, by which thermal treatment the coil becomes superconducting.

[0033] The hybrid electric aircraft 200 illustrated in FIG. 2 includes an electric machine 210 in the form of an electric motor formed with insulated superconducting coils 30. In principle, in further exemplary embodiments, not specifically illustrated, a generator may additionally be situated on board the hybrid electric aircraft 200, said generator likewise being formed with insulated superconducting coils 30.

[0034] Although the disclosure has been illustrated and described in greater detail by the exemplary embodiments, the disclosure is not restricted by these exemplary embodiments. Other variations may be derived herefrom by the person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of protection of the disclosure. It is therefore intended that the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that all equivalents and/or combinations of embodiments are intended to be included in this description.

[0035] It is to be understood that the elements and features recited in the appended claims may be combined in different ways to produce new claims that likewise fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, whereas the dependent claims appended below depend from only a single independent or dependent claim, it is to be understood that these dependent claims may, alternatively, be made to depend in the alternative from any preceding or following claim, whether independent or dependent, and that such new combinations are to be understood as forming a part of the present specification.