General Electric Company
ELECTRIC MACHINES WITH AIR GAP CONTROL SYSTEMS, AND SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF CONTROLLING AN AIR GAP IN AN ELECTRIC MACHINE

Abstract:

Systems and methods of controlling a length of an air gap in an electric machine using an air gap controller may include: determining an air gap length value for an electric machine at least in part using an air gap controller, comparing the determined air gap length value to an air gap target value using the air gap controller, and outputting a control command from the air gap controller to a controllable device associated with an air gap control system when the determined air gap length value differs from the air gap target value by a predefined threshold. A control command may be configured to impart a change to an operating parameter associated with the air gap control system to adjust a length of an air gap between an outer surface of a rotor core and an inner surface of a stator core of the electric machine.