The invention relates to a magnetic coupling and to a device for utilizing waste heat having such a magnetic coupling. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle having such a waste heat utilizing device.
Devices which are based on the contactless transmission of rotational movements using the magnetic interaction are generally referred to as magnetic couplings. Such magnetic couplings are used according to the prior art to transmit torques in a contactless fashion across an air gap and through walls, for example of hermetically sealed containers.
Conventional magnetic couplings are based on the same functional principle as what are referred to as synchronous motors. In a synchronous motor, the effect of the transmission of torque by magnetic interaction is utilized by arranging on the circumference of a stator windings which can be energized electrically and with which, through corresponding alternating energization, an alternating magnetic field which migrates in the circumferential direction can be generated. Thus, a rotor can be “entrained”. A magnetic coupling differs from such a synchronous motor essentially only in that the rotating alternating magnetic field is generated by rotating rotor parts or annular parts of a first rotor with permanently magnetized elements or magnetizable elements which are adjacent in the circumferential direction, specifically on the input side of the magnetic gear mechanism. The second rotor which interacts with the rotating alternating magnetic field and has permanently magnetized or ferromagnetic elements is mounted on the output side.
The desired transmission of torque between the two rotors is performed by means of the magnetic interaction of the magnets of the first rotor with those of the second rotor.
Pole pins made of ferromagnetic material or magnets can also be provided here on the stator. Given suitable dimensioning of the number of pole pins relative to the number of magnet elements of the two rotors, the stator brings about modulation of the alternating magnetic field generated by the drive-side rotor, in such a way that the alternating magnetic field acting on the output-side rotor causes the second rotor to rotate at a rotational frequency which is less than that of the drive-side rotor. In this case, the magnetic coupling follows the functional principle of a magnetic gear mechanism.
However, in conventional magnetic couplings it proves disadvantageous that the drive connection which is present between the two rotors typically cannot be interrupted in terms of what is referred to as idling or freewheeling. However, owing to practical considerations this would be of considerable benefit for various applications of generic magnetic couplings, for example if it is to be used as a magnetic gear mechanism in a waste heat utilizing apparatus.
The invention therefore has the object of providing an improved embodiment of a magnetic coupling in which, in particular, the drive connection between the two rotors can be optionally switched on or off.
This object is achieved by means of the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Preferred embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.
The basic concept of the invention is accordingly to embody the stator of the magnetic coupling in two parts with two axial portions along its axial direction, with the result that the first axial portion is adjustable relative to the second axial portion in the rotational direction of the entire stator. Since the two axial portions are equipped alternately with magnet elements with opposing polarity along the circumferential direction, the magnet elements of the two axial portions can be arranged by suitable relative rotation with respect to one another in such a way that the two magnet elements, adjacent along the axial direction, of the first and second axial portions also have opposing polarity.
However, in this case, the magnetic fields which are generated by the permanent magnets of the two axial portions virtually or even completely neutralize one another, with the result that the stator is no longer capable of performing its actual function, the transmission or modulation of the alternating magnetic field generated by the drive-side rotor. As a result, torque is no longer transmitted between the two rotors. Therefore, there is no drive connection any more between the two rotors, i.e. the magnetic coupling is in the freewheeling mode.
This state is cancelled again, and the desired drive coupling between the two rotors restored, by adjusting back the two axial portions in such a way that the magnet elements which are adjacent along the axial direction exhibit a respective identical polarity.
A magnetic coupling according to the invention comprises a stator which has a first axial portion which merges with a second axial portion along the one axial direction, and can be adjusted relative to the first axial portion along its circumferential direction. A first rotor is rotationally adjustable relative to the stator about a rotational axis which runs along the axial direction. A second rotor is in turn arranged concentrically with respect to the first rotor. The second rotor is also rotationally adjustable relative to the stator about the rotational axis. The first axial portion of the stator comprises here first axial portion magnet elements which are arranged in pairs having alternating magnetic polarity along the circumferential direction of the stator. In analogous fashion, the second axial portion of the stator also comprises second axial portion magnet elements which are also arranged in pairs having alternating magnetic polarity along the circumferential direction of the stator. Finally, the first and second rotors each also have rotor magnet elements which are arranged in pairs having alternating magnetic polarity along a circumferential direction of the respective rotor.
In one preferred embodiment, the rotor magnet elements and the axial portion magnet elements can each be polarized radially. This means that either the magnetic north pole of an element is arranged radially on the inside and correspondingly the magnetic south pole is arranged radially on the outside, or vice versa. However, other types of magnetization are also conceivable in variants, for example a radial or lateral (Halbach) magnetization or parallel magnetization.
In one particularly preferred embodiment, the two rotors and the stator are each embodied essentially in an annular shape and arranged concentrically with respect to the rotational axis in each case in a cross section measured along the axial axis.
In a further preferred embodiment, the second axial portion can be adjustable relative to the first axial portion between a first and a second position in the circumferential direction. In the first position of the second axial portion, axial portion magnet elements, adjacent along the axial direction, of the first and second axial portions have the same polarity. If the axial portion magnet elements are polarized in the radial direction, this means that the magnetic south pole is provided radially on the inside and the magnetic north pole is provided radially on the outside, or vice versa, in the axial portion magnet elements of both the first axial portion and the second axial portion. Therefore, in the first position, the magnetic field lines generated by the magnets of the first and second axial portions are, when considered in cross section perpendicularly with respect to the axial direction, virtually or completely identical, i.e. the two-part first rotor has the same properties in the first position of the second axial portion as a conventional single-part stator.
In contrast, the magnet elements which are adjacent along the axial direction have opposing polarities to one another in the second position of the second axial portion. This causes the magnetic field lines which are generated by the magnet elements of the two axial portions to largely or even completely cancel one another out in the manner of destructive interference, with the result that only an effective magnetic field with a low field strength can be formed. Subsequently, only low-degree coupling also occurs between the first rotor and the second rotor are formed, which means that the magnetic coupling is in the freewheeling mode. In other words, the magnetic drive connection between the two rotors is interrupted.
In one advantageous development, the second axial portion can be adjustable into an intermediate position in which it is located between the first and second positions. This permits the strength of the magnetic field generated by the axial portion magnet elements of the stator to be set between a maximum value, when the second axial portion is in the first position, and a minimum value, in the extreme case a zero value, when the second axial portion is in the second position. This permits the degree of coupling between the first and second rotors to be set between a maximum value and a minimum value—in an extreme case the latter can be a zero value.
With respect to the radial arrangement of the stator and of the two rotors relative to one another, various structural options are available to a person skilled in the art. In a first variant, the first rotor can be embodied as an inner rotor, the second rotor can be embodied as a central rotor which is arranged radially on the outside with respect to the latter, and the stator can be embodied as an outer stator which is arranged radially outside the inner rotor and the central rotor. In an alternative, second variant to this, the first rotor can be embodied as an outer rotor, the second rotor can be embodied as an inner rotor, and the stator can be embodied as a central stator which is arranged radially between the outer rotor and the inner rotor. In a further, third alternative, the first rotor can finally be embodied as a central rotor, the second rotor can be embodied as an outer rotor, and the stator can be embodied as an inner stator which is arranged radially inside the central rotor and the outer rotor.
Various options are also possible with respect to the structural configuration of the rotor magnet elements. These can particularly expediently be embodied as magnetic pole pins composed of a ferromagnetic material. Each of the pole pins extends here along the axial direction of the magnetic coupling, wherein the pole pins are arranged at a distance from one another with respect to the circumferential direction, and pole pins which are adjacent in the circumferential direction have opposing polarity.
For the rotor magnet elements of the outer rotor—in the event of the stator being an inner stator—or for the axial portion magnet elements of the outer stator it is proposed in one embodiment which is particularly easy to implement in terms of production technology that said magnet elements be embodied as radially polarized permanent magnets. The permanent magnets are arranged in pairs having alternating polarity in the circumferential direction in such a way that in each case a magnetic south pole follows a magnetic north pole along the circumferential direction. In alternative embodiments, other types of magnetization, for example parallel or lateral magnetization, can also be selected.
In an analogous fashion, for the rotor magnet elements of the inner rotor—in the event of the stator being an outer stator—or for the axial portion magnet elements of the inner stator, it is also recommended to implement said magnet elements as radially magnetized permanent magnets. The permanent magnets of the inner rotor or inner stator are also arranged in pairs having alternating polarity in the circumferential direction, with the result that in each case a magnetic south pole follows a magnetic north pole along the circumferential direction.
The magnetic coupling can particularly expediently be embodied in the manner of a magnetic gear mechanism. If the magnetic coupling is to be used as a magnetic gear mechanism in a device for utilizing waste heat, it is proposed to embody the magnetic gear mechanism in such a way that it steps down the rotational speed of the first rotor.
In order to technically implement said magnetic gear mechanism, which steps down a rotational speed of the first rotor, it is proposed to define the number of rotor magnet elements of the two rotors and the number of pole pins in such a way that the sum of the pole pins corresponds to the sum of the number of the pole pairs of the rotor magnet elements of the first rotor and to the number of the pole pairs of the rotor magnet elements of the second rotor.
The invention also relates to a device for utilizing waste heat, in particular the waste heat of an exhaust system in motor vehicles. The device comprises a high-revving turbine which is driven by a fluid which can be heated by means of the waste heat, which high-revving turbine is arranged in a region which is closed off by a hermetically sealed partition to prevent loss of fluid, and which high-revving turbine has, on the outside of the partition, a contact-free drive coupling on the output side to an apparatus which is provided for utilizing the turbine work. A magnetic coupling having one or more of the features specified above and having a drive shaft which is provided in the closed-off region and is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the second rotor serves as an arrangement for the drive coupling. On the outside of the partition, an output shaft is provided which is in turn connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the first rotor.
Further important features and advantages of the invention can be found in the dependent claims, the drawings and the associated description of the figures with reference to the drawings.
Of course, the features mentioned above and those still to be explained below can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail in the following description, wherein identical reference symbols relate to identical or similar or functionally identical components.
In the figures, in each case in a schematic form:
As is apparent from
The radial polarity of the permanent magnets 8b also alternates along the circumferential direction U. In variants of the example, lateral or parallel magnetization can also be selected for the rotor magnet elements 8 instead of radial magnetization. The permanent magnets 8a, 8b can be manufactured from a ferromagnetic material such as iron, cobalt or nickel.
It proves essential to the invention to divide the stator 5, embodied in the form of a hollow cylindrical intermediate wall 9 in the exemplary scenario, into a first and a second axial portion 10a, 10b with respect to an axial direction A of the magnetic coupling 1, wherein the axial direction A extends parallel to the rotational axis R. In other words, in order to form the two axial portions 10a, 10b, the intermediate wall 9 is formed in two parts along the axial direction A. In this context, the adjustability of the two axial portions 10a, 10b with respect to one another along the circumferential direction U is essential. For the sake of clarity, such adjustability is illustrated in the separate, highly schematic illustration in
However, reference is firstly made again to
If the illustration in
If the inner rotor 3 rotates with the permanent magnets 8b in the circumferential direction U, the magnetic fields generated by the permanent magnets 8b are modulated by the pole pins 12a, 12b on the fixed intermediate wall 9, with the result that the outer rotor 4, and correspondingly the casing 6 with the permanent magnets 8a, rotates counter to the circumferential direction U. The magnetic coupling operates in a nominal fashion in this case. By suitably defining the number of permanent magnets 8a on the outer rotor 4 and the number of permanent magnets 8b on the inner rotor 3 relative to the number of pole pins 12a and 12b it is possible here to achieve down stepping of the rotational speed of the outer rotor 4 to the inner rotor 3, with the result that the magnetic coupling 1 additionally acts as a magnetic gear mechanism.
If the second axial portion 10b is in the second position, there is therefore no longer any drive connection between the two rotors 2a, 2b and the magnetic coupling 1 is in the freewheeling mode. This state is cancelled again by adjusting the second axial portion 10b back into the first position in such a way that the pole pins 12a, 12b which are adjacent along the axial direction exhibit respectively identical polarity. The drive coupling between the outer and inner rotors 4, 3 is then restored.
As a result, the possibility of setting the second axial portion 10b to an intermediate position gives the magnetic coupling the property of being able to set the degree of coupling between the first and the second rotor 2a, 2b between a maximum value and a minimum value. If the minimum value is simultaneously a zero value, i.e. if there is no coupling present, the magnetic coupling 1 is in the freewheeling mode.
The functional principle, essential to the invention, of a stator which can be adjusted in two parts can be readily transferred to other structural embodiments of the magnetic coupling 1, for example with an outer stator or an inner stator instead of the central stator described above. In the preceding example, this means that in the case of an outer stator the latter is divided into a first axial portion and an adjustable second axial portion.
The magnetic coupling 1 which is explained with reference to
For the purpose of providing clarity,
The following applies to the number p of pole pins 12a: p=a+i, i.e. in the illustrated example 14 pole pins 12a are present.
Taking this exemplary embodiment as a basis,
In the example in
In the example scenario in
The example in
The embodiment in
Finally,
The magnetic coupling 1 with a drive shaft 25 which is provided in the closed-off region and is connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the second rotor 2b serves as an arrangement for the drive coupling. On the outside of the partition, an output shaft 26 is provided which is in turn connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to the first rotor 2a.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2014 210 299.5 | May 2014 | DE | national |
This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2014 210 299.5, filed on May 30, 2014, and International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2015/061719, filed on May 27, 2015, both of which are hereby incorporate by reference in their entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2015/061719 | 5/27/2015 | WO | 00 |