| I saw a news script on this ship in Japanese news show, Today's Japan,
on Channel 2 month ago. It was saying that super conductive material
was used to create a propulsion force. Left hand rule which current,
magnetic field and force ,is the fundamental of the ship engine concept. It
was also saying that keeping the supercoductive parts together is the
key issue to the success of this experiements.
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| I presume that this system uses the water as the electric motor, all
that is provided is a magnetic field probably oscillating at
appropriate rates to suit the water density, salinity, etc. to produce
direct thrust. To make this work, it would need maximum efficiency in
the magnets (ie. NO resistance, hence superconductors). And probably a
simple computer and sensors that understand the rules. The rules of
thrust would require big company investment, probably. Pure research.
A nice thing is that the drive would look like a simple tunnel through
which the water flows, so therefore incredible drive efficiency. That
would also assume that there are low heat losses in the drive water
itself, probably a good assumption.
The thought is really attractive. No moving parts. No propellers or
impellors to get bent or worn. No prop. losses. Easy to clean. Inherent
reliability of electrical systems.
It's really obvious that reliability of the superconducting system is the
key and it has to endure all sorts of mechanical stresses, etc. If
superconductor research finally produces reliable parts, I think we're
going to see a revolution in boat drive systems.
Does anyone have any information on the basic physics and trade-offs of
such a system?
Ray
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| Recently recieved:
From: LEDS::COHEN "Servo Wrong or Servo Write, It's all very Zen,
if you ask me" 7-JUL-1990 12:43:01.71
To: HORSEY
Subj: Magneto-Hydro-Dynamics
Roy,
I just saw (on CNN's Science & Technology Week program) a spot about
something called MagnetoHydroDynamics (or MHD). Apparently, it's a
system that will incorporate Superconducting Magnets as the key
component in a waterborne propulsion system. DARPA is funding the
research as part of a study in developing near-silent Submarine
propulsion systems. The Japanese are ahead of us in this study, and are
expected to field a prototype within a year (our effort is scheduled as
a 5 year program. They did show a US prototype "engine" on the show,
which is awaiting the completion of a large water tank so that it might
be tested).
The idea of this propulsion system is what was used as the premise for
the book/movie The Hunt for Red October. The Russian Sub was supposed
to have just such a nearly indetectable system. The Russians are
rumored to actually be working along similar lines to DARPA.
Anyway, the prototype Magnet pictured was cylindrical in shape, about 18
feet in diameter, 30 feet long, weighing something like 97 tons, with a
2 foot diameter bore, cut axially, down the center of the cylinder.
They showed an animated graphic to explain the way the system worked.
Basically, the whole thing is submerged, so that water fills the center
bore. the magnet produces a field, like any toroidal magnet would. An
electrical current is passed through the water in the bore, at right
angles to the magnetic field, and the resultant force generated by the
interaction of the Superconducting magnets' field, and that of the
flowing electrical current in the water, propels the water through the
tube.
They said the field generated by the Superconducting Magnet was 30000
times that of the Earths Magnetic Field, and that the "production" model
is expected to be substantially larger, though not as heavy. They
called the principle of operation the "Lawrence Effect", or "Lorentz" or
something like that. They also used the term "Catapillar Propulsion".
So, I had to send you this now, before I forgot the salient details.
See ya.
Randy
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