Superconducting machinery for naval ship propulsion

The Navy is developing the technology base for superconducting electric propulsion machinery systems for ship drives in the range of 40,000 to 75,000 hp per shaft. Full scale system development is aimed at the 1980-85 period. Current progress includes design, construction and tests of laboratory superconductive machinery in the 400 to 1000 hp range, preliminary design of 40,000 hp systems and ongoing construction of 3000 hp feasibility models of full scale systems. The objectives, scope, technical content and current progress of this program are presented. Brief technical discussion of the areas of machine design, liquid metal current collectors, superconducting magnet-dewar construction, and helium refrigeration development is included.