Amperium wire is a second generation high-temperature superconductor wire. Previously called “344 superconductors,” the new name is intended to reflect the product’s ability to conduct more than 100 times the electrical current of copper wire of the same dimensions. For perspective, in high-voltage power transmission systems, just one of these ultra-thin wires can carry enough…
American company buys stake in U.K. blade maker
American Superconductor Corp. says it has acquired a 25% ownership ($8 million) in Blade Dynamics Ltd., a designer and manufacturer of advanced wind turbine blades based on proprietary materials and structural technologies. Founded in the United Kingdom in 2007, Blade Dynamics designs and develops wind turbine blades to increase the efficiency and performance of multi-megawatt…
Electrical equipment firm assists with 5-MW turbine
American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) and Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. (HHI) will jointly develop a 5 MW full-conversion turbine for use in the offshore wind industry. The companies expect production to commence by end of 2011. HHI already has begun volume production of 1.65 MW turbines and ordered almost 80 sets of electrical controls and power…
Programmable-power converters now modular
The PowerModule PM3000W is a programmable, flexible and modular power converter platform for use across multiple wind-energy applications. The PowerModule line of power converters contain advanced Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT) and can operate in series or parallel for higher power ratings. The PM3000W features advanced grid compatibility control and a compact package that yields…
A second U.S. firm plans 10 MW turbine
The cover story of the May 2010 Windpower Engineering provides some details for the Clipper Britannia, a 10 MW turbine the Carpinteria, Calif. company expects to launch about 2012. On the heels of that announcement comes news from a Mass.-based company, American Superconductor, and their plans for a 10 MW turbine. The company joins at…