Development status of rotating machines employing superconducting field windings
- 20 September 2004
- journal article
- Published by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in Proceedings of the IEEE
- Vol. 92 (10), 1688-1704
- https://doi.org/10.1109/jproc.2004.833676
Abstract
Superconducting rotating machines have looked promising since multifilamentary niobium-titanium (NbTi) superconductors became available in the mid-1960s. Both dc homopolar and ac synchronous machines were successfully tested from the 1970s to the 1990s. Three different 70-MW generators were recently demonstrated by the SuperGM project in Japan. However, economic considerations with respect to competitive cost combined with the requirement for liquid helium cooling did not make these machines commercially attractive. On the other hand, high-temperature superconductors (HTSs) can operate at much higher temperatures (30-40 K), providing much larger thermal margin and simpler cooling systems. This refrigeration advantage has provided new impetus to the development of such machines for commercial applications. In the last few years, a number of superconducting rotating machines with HTS field windings have been demonstrated and several projects are currently transitioning to advanced development stages. HTS machines with ratings from a few kilowatts to several megawatts have been demonstrated in the United States and Europe. Currently, large high-torque ship propulsion motors, large generator prototypes, and synchronous condensers are under development and are expected to be commercially available in the next few years. Prospects for improved life cycle cost, smaller size, less weight, and higher efficiency benefits are providing incentives for the development of these larger rating HTS machines. This paper reviews the past and recent progress on the worldwide development of industrial-grade superconducting rotating machines utilizing low-temperature superconductor and HTS field windings and provides an outlook on the benefits and opportunities of this new technology.Keywords
This publication has 21 references indexed in Scilit:
- Long-term operational experience with first siemens 400 kW HTS machine in diverse configurationsIEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, 2003
- A small-size superconducting generator conceptPublished by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) ,2002
- Design and Manufacture of a 20 MVA Superconducting GeneratorIEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems, 1985
- Technical overview of the German program to develop superconducting AC generatorsIEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 1983
- General design aspects of a 300 MVA superconducting generator for utility applicationIEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 1981
- Electricite de France - Alsthom-Atlantique superconducting turbogenerator development programIEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 1981
- High speed superconducting generatorIEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 1977
- A high speed superconducting rotorIEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 1975
- Transient stability of superconducting alternatorsIEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems, 1975
- An Experimental Alternator With A Superconducting Rotating Field WindingIEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems, 1971