Mmm, Interesting - nanomaterial

nanomaterial introduced into electrical machines

Lappeenranta University of Technology in Finland has constructed the world's first prototype electrical motor using carbon nanotube yarn in the motor windings. The new technology may significantly enhance the performance.

Engineers of LUT have constructed the world's first electrical motor applying a textile material; carbon nanotube yarn. The presently most electrically conductive carbon nanotube yarn replaces usual copper wires in the windings. The motor prototype is built by the LUT Electrical Engineering group as a start towards lightweight, efficient electric drives.

The test motor output power is 40 W, it rotates at 15000 rpm, and has almost a 70 % efficiency. In the near future, carbon nanotube fibers have potential to significantly enhance the performance and energy efficiency of electrical machines. The new technology may revolutionize the whole industry.

Researchers are constantly searching for opportunities to upgrade the performance of electrical machines; to this end, one of the objectives is to find higher-conductivity wires for the windings. The best carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have demonstrated conductivities far beyond those of the best metals. Thus, future windings made of CNTs may have a double conductivity compared with the present-day copper windings. In order to make CNTs easy to manipulate, they are spun to form multifiber yarn.