Cleaning/cooling of high-power rotary current collector system

摘要

An electrical current collector system (20) comprises an electrically conductive slip ring (27) mounted to a rotatable shaft (28), as well as a fixed conducting ring assembly (44) having slip ring-contacting members (240, 404) mounted thereon. The slip ring (27) and fixed conducting ring assembly (44) are mounted to have an annular gap (48) formed therebetween. A slip ring support assembly (42) comprising plural post insulators (102) spaced radially about the rotatable shaft attaches the conductive slip ring to the rotatable shaft. The slip ring and fixed conducting ring assembly are at least partially enclosed in a compartment (57), to which a source (302) applies a cooling/cleaning fluid. In accordance with the structure and method of the invention, the source directs the fluid over at least some of the post insulators for cleaning of the post insulators. Then the fluid travels through the gap to perform at least one of cooling and cleaning of an interface of the slip ring and the slip ring-contacting members. The conductive ring channel then directs the fluid in at least a partially semicircular path to an exhaust duct (350).