49,000 Sea Horses Will Graze the Wide Oceans
![](http://www.amsc.com/images/36.5motor_constrbeforeapproval_8x10_150RGB.jpg)
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--American Superconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: AMSC), a leading energy technologies company, and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) announced today at the Surface Navy Association’s 21st National Symposium the successful completion of full-power testing of the world’s first 36.5 megawatt (49,000 horsepower) high temperature superconductor (HTS) ship propulsion motor at the U.S. Navy’s Integrated Power System Land-Based Test Site in Philadelphia. This is the first successful full-power test of an electric propulsion motor sized for a large Navy combatant and, at 36.5 megawatts, doubled the Navy’s power rating test record.
This system was designed and built under a contract from the Office of Naval Research to demonstrate the efficacy of HTS motors as the primary propulsion technology for future Navy all-electric ships and submarines. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) funded and led the successful testing of the motor.
Incorporating coils of HTS wire that are able to carry 150 times the power of similar-sized copper wire, the motor is less than half the size of conventional motors used on the first two DDG-1000 hulls and will reduce ship weight by nearly 200 metric tons. It will help make new ships more fuel-efficient and free up space for additional warfighting capability.
“The successful load test of our HTS motor marks the beginning of a new era in ship propulsion technology,” said Dan McGahn, senior vice president and general manager of AMSC Superconductors. “This motor provides the U.S. Navy with a truly transformational capability relative to size, stealth, endurance and survivability, providing our Navy with a clear performance advantage for years to come. We are grateful for the steadfast support from the Office of Naval Research, Naval Sea Systems Command and the Naval Surface Warfare Center.” _Source _ via _ NextBigFuture
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Superconducting motors, generators, and transmission lines will eventually impact every part of modern society.
Adapted from a posting at Al Fin Energy
Labels: electric transport, superconducting
3 Comments:
Now they need to make it to take the power straight from a Bussard reactor.
I also have to wonder, how much does the cryogenics plant they need weigh? Even high temp superconductors need something a good bit cooler than liquid nitrogen.
Good point. I'm not sure what sort of temperatures this motor needs, but I suspect that liquid nitrogen will do the trick. Otherwise the expense is probably too high for wide scale adoption.
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