|
New
Release -- Superconductor Week does not edit or endorse the following
news release:
AMSC Wire Instrumental in Successful South Korean Superconductor Motor: Doosan
Heavy Industries and KERI Demonstrate High-Speed, 1,300 Horsepower
Superconductor Motor for Civilian and Military Applications
Westborough, MA, 19 April 2007:
American Superconductor
Corporation (NASDAQ:
AMSC), a leading energy technologies company, announced today that two of
its South Korean customers - Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co., Ltd. (Doosan)
and the Korean Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI)
- have utilized AMSC's proprietary high temperature superconductor (HTS) wire to
successfully develop and demonstrate a very compact, high-efficiency
superconductor motor for civilian and military applications. This news follows
the announcement three weeks ago that AMSC had successfully completed factory
acceptance testing of its own 36.5 MW (49,000 horsepower) HTS ship propulsion
motor for the U.S. Navy.
The motor produced by Doosan and KERI utilizes
approximately 5,000 meters of AMSC's HTS wire and is capable of generating 1,300
horsepower at 3,600 revolutions per minute. The system is significantly smaller,
lighter, quieter and more efficient than the traditional motors sold today of
the same power rating, which are made with copper coils.
Work on this motor program began in 2004 with the
help of government research and development funding. Doosan plans to begin
production of motors for the military and commercial markets in the 2010-2011
timeframe. AMSC estimates that the annual worldwide market for industrial motors
with ratings of 1,000 horsepower or higher is over $1 billion.
"This latest news from our South Korean customers
is further evidence of the compelling advantages that HTS provides for
electrical equipment and the global interest in bringing products of this kind
to market," said Greg Yurek, founder and chief executive officer of AMSC. "HTS
rotating machines are now entering the manufacturing phase, creating significant
opportunities for AMSC's superconducting wire and coils. We congratulate Doosan
and KERI on their achievement and look forward to working with both
organizations on motor programs and additional projects in the years ahead."
AMSC has an ongoing relationship with Doosan
Heavy Industries in both the HTS and wind power arenas. In January, AMSC
announced that it had signed a contract worth more than $2 million to develop a
3 MW wind energy system for Doosan and support the assembly and installation of
a system prototype. Doosan plans to begin series production of these systems
late in 2009.
In October 2006, AMSC announced that it had
received an order from KERI for 22,000 additional meters of HTS wire to begin a
10-year project focused on developing superconductor magnetic energy storage (SMES)
systems. This project is being funded by South Korea's Ministry of Science and
Technology.
Return
to industry news releases |
