April 2024 Mechanical Engineering Blog
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April 8, 2024
New Superconducting Magnet Pushes the Development of Fusion Energy
New Superconducting Magnet Pushes the Development of Fusion Energy
MIT engineers successfully created a new high-temperature superconducting magnet that can generate a record breaking 20-tesla magnetic field strength, a key achievement in the development of practical fusion power plants. The breakthrough significantly increased the chance of fusion energy being economical. Essentially, it changed the cost per watt of a fusion reactor by a factor of about 40. The magnet is made from a superconducting material known as REBCO, and it operates at a temperature of 20 kelvins. Due to its operating temperature the magnet completely eliminates the need for complex insulation between conductor windings, a design that made fabrication much simpler and provided a higher degree of stability. The engineers tested the magnet rigorously throughout their experiments, and they even pushed the magnet beyond its limits intentionally to create an overheating that simulates worst case operating conditions. Once this failure testing process was complete, engineers were surprised to find that most of the magnet had sustained only minimal damage. Head of the project’s engineering team, Zach Hartwig mentioned, “that test actually told us exactly the physics that was going on, and it told us which models were useful going forward.” in addition, the data from the study validated the team’s computer modeling and design approach, which will help scale up the technology for the development of SPARC, a compact fusion device currently being developed by CFS. Learn more about this topic here.
April 22, 2024
Northrop Teases Prototype Manta Ray Unmanned Underwater Drone
Northrop Teases Prototype Manta Ray Unmanned Underwater Drone
Northrop Grumman recently finished building the prototype of its Manta Ray underwater drone. Manta Ray minimizes human involvement and is designed for long hour/range assignments. The Manta Ray drone is classified as an Unmanned Underwater vehicle (UUV). The Virginia based defense contractor shared a photo of the drone and the design looks very sleek. The drone features a wide glider-like body with a round nose but aside from that not much else is known about its exact size or dimensions. Company executive Todd Leavitt mentioned, “At Northrop Grumman, we're creating a new type of unmanned underwater vehicle," he further noted that the Manta Ray prototype “can carry large payloads over long distances without the need for maintenance or refueling." Additional considerations for the drone’s development include high efficiency propulsion systems, communication capabilities, and a low-power capability of threat detection and classification. The Manta ray program was initially created by The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in 2020, with the goal of creating a large underwater drone that can operate independently of manned vessels. DARPA later recruited Northrop and PacMar Technologies to design and build preliminary versions of the drone. The U.S. military is becoming more and more interested in unmanned technologies and their application on the battlefield. Apparently, the navy is looking to commission a hybrid fleet, augmenting sailors and marines with smart technologies. Learn more here.
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