A rotor or a stator for a superconducting electrical machine

摘要

The present invention provides a rotor (1) or a stator for a superconducting electrical machine. The rotor (1) includes a mounting (2) that is maintained at substantially ambient temperature during operation of the electrical machine and a field coil support structure (3). A plurality of superconducting field coils (4) are maintained at cryogenic temperatures during operation of the electrical machine and are supported by the field coil support structure (3). At least one coupling element (5) is used to fix the field coil support structure (3) to the mounting (2). The field coil support structure (3) is preferably fixed to the mounting (2) by a plurality of substantially circumferentially extending coupling elements (5) at a first and second axial end of the field coil support structure and the mounting such that the mounting and field coil support structure are substantially separated over their axial lengths by a vacuum gap.