Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer
Inorganic Nanostructured High-Temperature Magnet Wires
Project Description
This project will develop a high-temperature tolerant electrically-insulating coating for magnet wires. The Phase I program will result in a flexible, inorganic coating for copper, nickel, aluminum and their alloy wires that can be wound to produce magnets with superior thermal resistance. Eltron will produce a conformal insulating coating that permits continuous operation at temperature of at least 500 deg. C (932 deg. F), which exceeds current SOA coatings by 100%. According to NEMA, magnet wire is required for the production of 90% of all electricity. As industry attempts to shrink process size and increase output from these devices, their operating temperatures increase and conventional wire insulation tends to fail. High-temperature magnet wire allows for continuous operation under these environments. Few competitors exist that are producing magnet wire capable of functioning in this temperature range.
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Anticipated Benefits
This topic addresses the need for functional high-temperature magnet wire coatings. Eltron Research & Development has the experience to produce a conformal insulating coating that far exceeds the maximum working temperature of current magnet wires while maintaining excellent flexibility and mechanical toughness. Magnet wire is widely used in most motors, pumps, power generators, alternators, power transformers, particle accelerators and MRI/NMR instruments. Providers within these diverse markets strive to reduce the physical size and increase the output of these devices. As a result, operating temperatures increase and conventional wire insulation fails. Eltron's high-temperature magnet wire will allow for continuous operation up to at least 500 deg. C (932 deg. F). No known competitors produce magnet wire with comparable functionality in this temperature range. In addition, the proposed magnet wire coatings are vacuum compatiblean advantage for applications in the aerospace and nuclear physics sectors.
Electric propulsion devices such as Hall effect thrusters make use of electromagnets to steer and confine charged particles as an integral part of the propulsion system. Current designs are limited by the capability of the magnet wire to survive high-temperature operation. The operating temperature in current designs is a result of both joule heating effects derived from high current loads dissipated by the magnets and close proximity to hot plasma from the thruster. Improved insulation will increase the maximum operating temperature, allowing for greater flexibility in placement and design while also facilitating higher field strengths through larger current loads across the magnet circuits. More »
Electric propulsion devices such as Hall effect thrusters make use of electromagnets to steer and confine charged particles as an integral part of the propulsion system. Current designs are limited by the capability of the magnet wire to survive high-temperature operation. The operating temperature in current designs is a result of both joule heating effects derived from high current loads dissipated by the magnets and close proximity to hot plasma from the thruster. Improved insulation will increase the maximum operating temperature, allowing for greater flexibility in placement and design while also facilitating higher field strengths through larger current loads across the magnet circuits. More »
Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eltron Research & Development, Inc. | Lead Organization | Industry | Boulder, Colorado |
| Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) | Supporting Organization | FFRDC/UARC | Pasadena, California |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
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California
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Colorado
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This is a historic project that was completed before the creation of TechPort on October 1, 2012. Available data has been included. This record may contain less data than currently active projects.