Development of a current collection loss management system for SDI homopolar power supplies

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5196004· OSTI ID:5196004

Brown, D W

High speed, high power density current collection systems have been identified as an enabling technology required to construct homopolar power supplies to meet SDI missions. This work is part of a three-year effort directed towards the analysis, experimental verification, and prototype construction of a current collection system designed to operate continuously at 2 kA/cm{sup 2}, at a rubbing speed of 200 m/s, and with acceptable losses in a space environment. To data, no system has achieved these conditions simultaneously. This is the annual report covering the second year period of performance on DOE contract DE-AC03-86SF16518. Major areas covered include design, construction and operation of a cryogenically cooled brush test rig, design and construction of a high speed brush test rig, optimization study for homopolar machines, loss analysis of the current collection system, and an application study which defines the air-core homopolar construction necessary to achieve the goal of 80--90 kW/kg generator power density. 17 figs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (United States). Science and Technology Center
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-86SF16518
• OSTI ID: 5196004
• Report Number(s): DOE/SF/16518-T3; ON: DE92000399
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
426000 -- Engineering-- Components
Electron Devices & Circuits-- (1990-)
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450500* -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Strategic Defense Initiative-- (1990-)
BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE
CRYOGENICS
CURRENT DENSITY
DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS
DESIGN
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTRIC GENERATORS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENERGY LOSSES
EQUIPMENT
HOMOPOLAR GENERATORS
LOSSES
NATIONAL DEFENSE
PERFORMANCE TESTING
POWER LOSSES
POWER SUPPLIES
PROGRESS REPORT
ROTORS
SPACE WEAPONS
TESTING