The status of HTS ship propulsion motor developments

Abstract

The development of ship propulsion synchronous motors with high temperature superconductor (HTS) field windings for Naval electric ship applications has progressed to the point where a full scale motor is now under construction. A 5 MW, 230-rpm prototype ship propulsion motor was built and tested by the Center for Advanced Power Systems (CAPS) on behalf of U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR). It met or exceeded all its design goals. Currently, a 36.5 MW, 120-rpm ship propulsion motor is being built for delivery to ONR at the end of 2006. This paper presents test results of the 5 MW motor and the status of the 36.5 MW motor