Magnetic Materials for Space Power Systems

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Deep space missions will require megawatts of electric power. Nuclear‐electric systems, reliable for 50 000 h, will need materials to operate up to 1600°F in vacuum. They must withstand liquid alkali metals or their vapors and nuclear or cosmic radiation. Magnetic materials must meet high electrical efficiency requirements under severe environmental conditions and in some cases, stringent mechanical requirements. Many types of electrical equipment, e.g., inverters and other devices in the manned quarters, will not be required to withstand such severe environments, but must still operate with the highest efficiency and reliability. Materials for such uses and the basis of their selection are reviewed. The components and their environmental and operating requirements are reviewed. The status of available magnetic materials and the basis of their selection to satisfy these requirements for the two principal temperature ranges, 800°–1100°F and 1100°–1600°F, are presented. Weak areas and gaps are identified. The major gap is in materials for high‐speed rotors in the highest temperature range. The various metallurgical approaches applied to this problem and the necessary magnetic and physical compromises are presented. The three approaches now being investigated are: (1) improved martenistic alloys; (2) improved precipitation strengthened Co alloys; (3) new dispersion strengthened Co and Fe‐Co alloys. Encouraging preliminary results are presented.

This publication has 9 references indexed in Scilit: