Abstract
Homopolar motors were the first electromechanical converters ever invented, and they are known for their apparent simplicity. Homopolar motors can convert the energy of DC electric current into mechanical energy of continuous rotation without switching or commutation, as occurs in any other electric motor. Homopolar machines run at low voltage and high current. To make matters worse for engineers, these high currents have to be transferred from the stationary brushes to the rotating surfaces with generally high surface speeds, which is a non-trivial task. One of the first practical homopolar generators using Liquid Metal Current Collectors (LMCCs) was a 10 kW machine with up to 16 kA, 0.625 V, 780 RPM, designed by D. A. Watt in 1951. Extensive research on mercury-based LMCCs for homopolar machines was done under the direction of Klaudy in the Higher Technical School, Graz, Austria. Over the last three decades homopolar machines have attracted research attention as a possible ship propulsion technology.
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