Design, fabrication, and testing of a fast discharge homopolar machine (FDX)

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:5154042

Gully, J H; Driga, M D; Grant, B; Rylander, H G; Tolk, K M; Weldon, W F; Woodson, H H

The Fast Discharge Experiment (FDX) is a 0.36 MJ, 200 V homopolar machine designed to discharge in one millisecond. All components, including dual brush actuation systems, a room-temperature 2 x 10/sup 6/ A-t pulsed copper coil, two aluminum rotors with copper slip rings, low inductance return conductors, coaxial transmission line, four fast closing (30 ..mu..sec), megamp switches, hydrostatic journal bearings, squeeze film thrust bearings and a fiberglass reinforced epoxy structure have been fabricated and assembled. The detail design of machine components is presented. Preliminary testing, including rotor spin-ups, brush actuation, switch making, and pulsed field coil tests have been concluded. A low speed, short-circuit discharge of FDX has recently been conducted. Experimental data from these tests are compared with theoretical predictions.

• Research Organization: Texas Univ., Austin (USA). Center for Electromechanics
• OSTI ID: 5154042
• Report Number(s): CONF-771029-117
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700203* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Power Supplies
Energy Storage
DESIGN
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
ELECTRIC GENERATORS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
PERFORMANCE TESTING
POWER SUPPLIES
SWITCHES
TESTING
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
TOKAMAK TYPE REACTORS