A novel linear induction motor for electromagnetic aircraft launch system
A variable pole pitch linear induction motor (VPPLIM) is proposed as a new member of the family of electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS). With proper designing of the variation of the pole pitch, the VPPLIM could accelerate the aircraft almost uniformly at the condition of usual AC supply, avoiding use of large scale power electronics converters. The special considerations in the design of VPPLIM, such as the structure topology and the variation of the pole pitch are discussed detailedly in the paper. The acceleration performance of the VPPLIM fed by a constant voltage constant frequency supply is analyzed by means of the quasi-steady-state 2D magnetic field model and the difference model of mover's dynamics. A two stage method is proposed to simulate the acceleration performance of the VPPLIM based on a 2D thrust table of the motor achieved by finite element method (FEM). The calculated features of the prototype VPPLIM consist well with those expected for EMALS.
Variable Pole Pitch Electromagnetic Propulsion with Ladder-Slot-Secondary Double-Sided Linear Induction Motors
In this paper, we propose a novel variable pole pitch (VPP) electromagnetic (EM) propulsion technique using a series of ladder-slot-secondary double-sided linear induction motors (LS-secondary DLIMs). An equivalent circuit is developed for the LS-secondary DLIM, which considers the distribution of the eddy current in the ladders and the end effect. This equivalent circuit forms the basis for the subsequent design, numerical analysis, and optimization. The primary purpose of the VPP EM propulsion system is to address several obstacles encountered in high-speed large-thrust applications of LIMs, such as power factor improvement, optimization considering supply frequency constraint and operating kinetics, etc. The equivalent circuit of the LS-secondary DLIM, i.e., the theoretical foundation of the VPP EM propulsion, has been validated via simulation and experimentation on a small-scale platform, which proves that the numerical analysis of the VPP EM propulsion is effective.
Numerical tools applied to power reactor noise analysis
In order to be able to calculate the space- and frequency-dependent neutron noise in real inhomogeneous systems in two-group theory, a code was developed for the calculation of the Green's function (dynamic transfer function) of such systems. This paper reports on the development as well as the test and application of the numerical tools employed. The code that was developed yields the space-dependence of the fluctuations of the neutron flux induced by fluctuating properties of the medium in the two-group diffusion approximation and in a two-dimensional representation of heterogeneous systems, for both critical systems and non-critical systems with an external source. Some applications of these tools to power reactor noise analysis are then described, including the unfolding of the parameters of the noise source from the induced neutron noise, measured at a few discrete locations throughout the core. Other concrete applications concern the study of the space-dependence of the Decay Ratio in Boiling Water Reactors, the noise-based estimation of the Moderator Temperature Coefficient of reactivity in Pressurized Water Reactors, the modeling of the beam- and shell-mode core-barrel vibrations in Pressurized Water Reactors, and the investigation of the validity of the point-kinetic approximation in subcritical systems driven by an external source. In most of these applications, calculations performed using the code are compared with at-power plant measurements. Power reactor noise analysis applications of the above type, i.e. core monitoring without disturbing plant operation, is of particular interest in the framework of the extensive program of power uprates worldwide.