Development of Liquid Hydrogen Cooling System for a Rotor of Superconducting Generator

Abstract

We focused on the liquid hydrogen (LH <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> ) cooled field winding superconducting generator and conducted a test to develop a liquid hydrogen cooling system for a rotor of superconducting generator. The LH <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> supply and exhaust system for the rotating tank which simulated the generator rotor was designed and fabricated. The rotation test was actually performed at a speed of 1800 rpm successfully and safely in a state where LH <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> was stored and continuously kept liquid level in the rotating tank. The rotating tank equipped with eight thermometers, two MgB <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> superconducting liquid level meters to know the state of liquid hydrogen in the tank. A rotation speed variation test was performed, and the behavior of the temperature and the liquid level in the rotating tank was observed. The vibrations of the rotor shaft throughout the test were within the allowable value. The experiments demonstrated the LH <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> cooling system of the superconducting generator rotor.