Cryogenic aluminum-wound generator rotor concept for nuclear power conversion

This paper presents a design outline for a liquid hydrogen cooled generator rotor that could be used to fabricate a 20-megawatt cryogenic generator. The armature of an existing 20-megawatt superconducting generator could be utilized in this new cryogenic generator concept without electrical modification and with minimum modification to its housing. The acquisition and operating expense of liquid helium liquefiers, refrigeration requirements and the expense of fabricating a superconductor wound generator rotor make an aluminum-wound rotor a viable alternative. Ideally, the aluminum rotor could use the higher cryogenic temperatures of liquid hydrogen at 21 K as conductor coolant and not require the more difficult fabrication techniques of a superconducting generator rotor. A most likely conductor candidate is high purity aluminum which has 0.2% its room temperature resistance at liquid hydrogen temperatures. Recent research has indicated the feasibility of fabricating high-purity aluminum conductors in a composite conductor form