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IPFS News Link • Inventions

Teijin Aramid and LUT enable nanotechnology to enter electric motors

• http://www.teijinaramid.com, Mrs. Saskia Verhoeven

Aiming at upgrading the performance and energy efficiency of electrical machines, higher-conductivity wires are searched for windings. Here, the new technology may revolutionize the industry. The best carbon nanotubes (CNTs) demonstrate conductivities far beyond the best metals; CNT windings may have double the conductivity of copper windings.

"If we keep the design parameters unchanged only replacing copper with carbon nanotube yarns, the Joule losses in windings can be reduced to half of present machine losses. By lighter and more ecological CNT yarn, we can reduce machine dimensions and CO2 emissions in manufacturing and operation. Machines could also be run in higher temperatures," says Professor Pyrhönen, leading the prototype design at LUT.

No upper limit for conductivity
Traditionally, electrical machine windings are made of copper, having the second best conductivity of metals at room temperature. Despite the high conductivity, most of machine losses occur in copper windings. Carbon nanotube yarn, instead, does not have a pre-defined upper limit for conductivity (values of 100 MS/m measured on individual CNTs).


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