American Superconductor Corp. (Westborough, MA) has built what is believed to be the first 5,000-hp motor that uses high-temperature superconducting (HTS) wires in its rotor, says the company. The motor was designed, developed, and built by the company’s Electric Motors and Generators business.

Because HTS wires carry large amounts of electric current with low energy loss, this motor is approximately half the size and weight of a conventional motor, and it reduces energy loss by as much as 50%. The company says that motors larger than 1,000-hp capacity use one-quarter of the electricity generated in the U.S. Thus, potential energy savings from using large HTS motors could be substantial.

Publication date: 09/10/2001