Speaker
Description
This presentation discusses recent research and technology development at the NASA Glenn Research Center on superconducting electric machines. Specifically, the presentation will discuss the design, development, operation, and test capabilities of a superconducting coil testbed to measure alternating current (AC) losses for both low- and high-Tc superconductors. AC losses are important in the design of electric stators and rotors, power transmission lines, transformers, fault current limiters, magnets, and superconducting energy storage (not batteries). The new rig will allow superconducting testing across a wide range of test parameters, including injected current up to 400 A, frequency (0 to 400 Hz), magnetic field (0 to 0.6 T), phase angle between induced voltage and injected current (–180° to 180°), and coil coolant temperature (18 to 95 K). While the target application of interest is 20 K superconducting MgB2 stator coils for future electric machines, the rig can accommodate test articles (TAs) with straight wire, tape, cables, coils of any shape, any allowable combination of superconducting wire and fluid (e.g., yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO) coils and liquid nitrogen), and AC or direct current (DC) testing. The presentation will also discuss recent developments in power electronics.
