TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground/Sea Vehicles, Materials/Processes

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PEO SHIPS PMS 500 CG(X), DDG-1000 ACAT I

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation.

OBJECTIVE: Develop a low weight, shock and vibration tolerant cable to support the application of shipboard degaussing that allows for quick installation in a Navy Shipboard environment.

DESCRIPTION: Advanced degaussing systems use long lengths of copper cable wound around the ship to reduce the ships magnetic signature. This copper based system is heavy and is expensive to install. High Temperature Superconductivity (HTS) has shown possible advantages in size, weight, power conversion efficiency when applied to motors, generators, power cables and fault current limiters. In a HTS Degaussing system the copper can be replaced with HTS for significant weight savings through reduced amount of conductor while achieving the required current carrying capacity. The Office of Naval Research has funded development of a land based HTS Degaussing system and has identified components that may provide significant challenges in meeting Navy shock and vibration standards.

HTS degaussing presents additional challenges over copper based systems. The superconducting cable requires continuous cryogen flow while maintaining electrical continuity of multiple turns of conductor. Each conductor must be individually isolated from another so multiple turns exist through the cable to develop required amp-turns of field while being powered from low current, 100�200 amp, power supply. The degaussing cable will require between 20-40 conductors with cable lengths up to 200m. Since this cable will be used shipboard, sailor safety must be considered and a gaseous cryogen, typically helium could be used as the cooling fluid. While the cable itself should not require any routine maintenance, proper monitoring of the cable parameters would be desired to ensure adequate operation. Cable maintenance should be condition based stemming from parameters of the superconductor such as voltage, temperature, or magnetic field. Effective means to measure these parameters could be established without significant burden to the system through excessive instrumentation wiring or equipment. Cable design, technique, and instrumentation will need to meet shock and vibration requirements.

Novel and innovative ideas or approaches for superconducting cable designs are desired. The proposed approaches should address a need to meet Navy qualification and condition based maintenance requirements for a HTS degaussing cable.

PHASE I: Investigate novel cabling techniques for tape based superconductor to support a low voltage DC HTS degaussing cable. Consideration to condition base maintenance parameters should be identified, investigated, and demonstrated as required in a laboratory demonstration. A preliminary cable design and small prototype should be developed by the conclusion of the phase I effort.

PHASE II: Develop and demonstrate a scale prototype of the HTS degaussing cable and demonstrate condition based maintenance sensor performance. A full scale prototype should be developed and subjected to shock and vibration testing.

PHASE III: Transition this technology to commercial and military market. The DDG-1000 and CG(X) platforms will receive Advanced Degaussing Systems (ADS) to improve the capability of these platforms

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: This work has application in the private sector though advanced development of cabling techniques and condition based maintenance monitoring. These advancements can be applied to commercial HTS power distribution systems.

REFERENCES:
1. Fitzpatrick, B. "High Temperature Superconducting Degaussing System Assessment," ASNE Day 2007, June 2007.

2. Fitzpatrick, B. "High Temperature Superconducting Degaussing System Assessment," ASNE Day 2005, April 2005.

3. Snitchler G., Gamble B., Kalsi S.S., "The performance of a 5 MW high temperature superconductor ship propulsion motor" Applied Superconductivity, IEEE Transactions on Volume 15, Issue 2, Part 2, June 2005 Page(s):2206 � 2209

4. Fitzpatrick, Kephart, Golda. "High Temperature Superconducting Degaussing - Cooling two HTS coils with one cryocooler for the Littoral Combat Ship." Advances in Cryogenic Engineering, July 2007

5. Fitzpatrick, Kephart, Golda. "Characterization of Gaseous Helium Flow Cryogen in a Flexible Cryostat for Naval Applications of High Temperature Superconductors." IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity. (Applied Superconductivity Conference AUG
2006).

KEYWORDS: high temperature superconductor, cryogenic, superconductivity, HTS, power cables, degaussing, DC

TPOC: George Stimak
Phone: (703)588-0616
Fax: (703)696-0934
Email: [email protected]
2nd TPOC: Brian Fitzpatrick
Phone: (215)897-8473
Fax: (215)897-8380
Email: [email protected]
3rd TPOC: Jacob Kephart
Phone: (215)897-8474
Fax: (215)897-8380
Email: [email protected]

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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