Installation and operation of superconducting rotating machines

Superconducting rotating machine technology is developing rapidly. At present, four superconducting rotating machine programs are in progress. General electric is building a 100 MVA superconducting generator under a DoE contract. American superconductor (AMSC) has 3 programs on superconducting machines-a 10 MVAR superconducting synchronous condenser, a 5 MW, 230-RPM ship propulsion motor for office of naval research (ONR) and a 36.5 MW, 120-RPM ship propulsion motor programs also for ONR. All superconducting machines employ high temperature superconductors (HTS) in the field winding on the rotor and a conventional ambient temperature copper winding in the stator. This paper discusses the installation and operation of these machines and their support equipment.