Design and cooling of permanent magnet generator in MW-class space closed Brayton cycle system

Abstract

The closed Brayton cycle (CBC) system is a prime energy conversion technology to convert heat from the reactor to electric power for space missions due to its light weight, compact and stable operation. The CBC system incorporates a permanent magnet generator (PMG) mounted on the CBC shaft with the turbine and compressor. To ensure safe operation of the CBC system, a small fraction of the working fluid is used to provide the required cooling. In this study, four different cooling schemes used in CBC system are concluded and the key dimensions of the PMG are obtained through mechanical design theory and electromagnetic theory. Comprehensive research on the electromagnetic field and loss calculation is then performed. Furthermore, the cooling paths of the PMG are designed and the resulting temperature profiles are calculated. Finally, different cooling schemes are compared and the appropriate cooling advice is proposed.