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

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5285939· OSTI ID:5285939

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 operated 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 first year period of performance on DOE contract DE-AC03-86SF16518. Major areas covered include design and construction of a cryogenically-cooled brush test rig, design of a high speed brush test rig, 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. 15 figs.

Research Organization:
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (United States). Research and Development Center
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-86SF16518
OSTI ID:
5285939
Report Number(s):
DOE/SF/16518-T2; ON: DE92000398
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English