Helium Gas News

GE Trials High-Temp Superconducting Technology for Power Generation

GE’s Power Conversion business has taken a step in testing a viable way of producing large amounts of electricity from renewable resources using superconductors running at relatively high temperatures. The company completed trials of Hydrogenie, a power generator incorporating technologies that enable highly efficient production of electricity in a small space. Hydrogenie makes use of superconductors instead of copper for the rotor windings on the motor, operating at 43 Kelvin or -230°C.

This Day in Naval History - Oct. 10

From the Navy News Service 1845 - The , later the , opens in , with 50 midshipmen and seven faculty. 1923 - First American-built rigid airship, Shenandoah, is christened. It used helium gas instead of hydrogen. 1944 - The Leyte campaign begins with the attack of four carrier task groups of Task Force 38 on and Ryukyus. 1960 - Navy assigned responsibility for program management and technial direction of Project SPASUR, the first universal satellite detection and tracking network. 1985 - Fighters from USS Saratoga (CV 60) force an Egyptian airliner, with the hijackers of the cruise ship Achille Lauro aboard, to , where the hijackers were taken into custody.

The Lure of the Electric Drive

By Stuart C. Karon and Dr. In the September 2002 issue of Maritime Reporter and Engineering News, a detailed discussion was featured on the advantages of future High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) machinery for propulsion of electric drive ships. • Motors A 5-MW 230-rpm machine for the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Research (ONR) is undergoing factory tests. ONR is now funding the next step - design, fabrication and factory testing of a 36.5-MW 120-rpm machine to prove the technology at full-scale for warships. • Generators Development of HTS generators has also leapt ahead with the initial production of 10-MVAR synchronous condensers for utility voltage adjusting service. These condensers are very similar in design and operation to 10-MW, 1,800-rpm generators.

This Day in Navy History

October 10, 1845 - Naval School, later the Naval Academy, opens in Annapolis, Maryland with 50 midshipmen and seven faculty. 1923 - First American-built rigid airship, Shenandoah, is christened. It used helium gas instead of hydrogen. 1944 - Opening of Leyte campaign begins with attack of four Carrier Task Groups of Task Force 38 on Okinawa and Ryukyus. 1960 - Navy assigned responsibility for program management and technial direction of Project SPASUR, the first U.S. universal satellite detection and tracking network. 1985 - Fighters from USS Saratoga (CV-60) force Egyptian airliner, with the hijackers of the cruise ship Achille Lauro aboard, to Italy, where the hijackers were taken into custody. [Source: Source: www.history.navy.mil]