Rotor construction for high speed motors

Abstract

A rotor shaft for a high speed motor that has a coating that is secured to a shaft body. The coating and the shaft body are formed from dissimilar materials. More specifically, the coating may be an alloy material, such as, for example, a copper alloy, while the shaft body may be a steel material. According to certain embodiments, the alloy material of the coating may be secured to at least a portion of a rotor body blank in a solution treated condition via a low temperature welding procedure. Additionally, the coating may be hardened, such as for example, through the use of an age hardening process. The coating and the rotor body blank may be machined together to form the rotor shaft. According to certain embodiments, such machining may configure the rotor shaft for use with a turbo-compressor that is configured for air compression.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method for manufacturing a rotor shaft for a high speed motor, the method comprising:
 forming a rotor body blank from a steel material;   solution heat treating an alloy material, wherein a duration of heat treating the alloy material is dependent on a thickness of the alloy material, the alloy material and the steel material of the rotor body blank being different materials;   securing the solution treated alloy material to at least a portion of the rotor body blank to provide a coating;   heat treating the coating when the coating is secured to the rotor body blank, the heat treating process adapted to minimize the loss of a core property of the steel material of the rotor body blank; and   machining the rotor body blank and the coating to form the rotor shaft, the rotor shaft configured for operation in the high speed motor.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the duration of heat treating the alloy material ranges from three minutes to three hours. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the alloy material is a copper alloy. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of securing the alloy material includes using a low temperature welding process. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the step of securing the alloy material includes using explosion welding to cover the at least a portion of the rotor body blank with the alloy material. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the step of heat treating the coating includes age hardening the coating. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further including the step of stress relieving the coating. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the rotor shaft is manufactured to operate at a tip speed greater than 300 meters/second. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the step of machining the rotor body blank and the coating includes forming the rotor shaft for use with a turbo-compressor that is configured for air compression. 
     
     
         31 . A method for manufacturing a rotor shaft for a high speed motor, the method comprising:
 providing a rotor body blank from a steel material;   providing an alloy material which has been solution heat treated, the alloy material and the steel material of the rotor body blank being different materials;   securing the alloy material which has been solution heat treated to at least a portion of the rotor body blank to provide a coating; and   heat treating the coating when the coating is secured to the rotor body blank.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the alloy material is a copper alloy. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the step of securing the alloy material includes using a low temperature welding process. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the step of securing the alloy material includes using explosion welding to cover the at least a portion of the rotor body blank with the alloy material. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the step of heat treating the coating includes age hardening the coating. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further including the step of stress relieving the coating. 
     
     
         37 . A method for manufacturing a rotor shaft for a high speed motor, the method comprising:
 forming a rotor body blank from a steel material;   solution treating an alloy material, the alloy material and the steel material of the rotor body blank being different materials;   securing the solution treated alloy material to at least a portion of the rotor body blank to provide a coating;   heat treating the coating when the coating is secured to the rotor body blank, the heat treating process adapted to minimize a strength loss of the steel material; and   machining the rotor body blank and the coating to form the rotor shaft, the rotor shaft configured for operation in the high speed motor.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the alloy material is a copper alloy. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the step of securing the alloy material includes using a low temperature welding process. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the step of securing the alloy material includes using explosion welding to cover the at least a portion of the rotor body blank with the alloy material. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the step of heat treating the coating includes age hardening the coating.