HIGH STRENGTH ELECTRICAL INSULATION COMPOSITES

ELECTROMAGNETIC GUNS PRESENT AN EXTREMELY HARSH ENVIRONMENT FOR DIELECTRIC MATERIALS USED AS INSULATING RAILS. THE COMBINATION OF A PROPRIETARY ARAMID AND MICA PAPER WITH AN EPOXY RESIN IMPREGNANT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY DEVELOPED TO MEET THE SEVERE MECHANICAL REQUIREMENTSFOR INSULATION OF A HIGH VOLTAGE ARMATURE WINDING IN AN ELECTRICAL GENERATOR WITH A SUPERCONDUCTING FIELD WINDING. BASED ON THE SUCCESSFUL FABRICATION TECHNIQUES DEVELOPED FOR THIS INSULATING COMPOSITE, FABRICATION METHODS AND MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES (RELEVANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC GUN INSULATORS) OF FOUR TYPES OF INSULATING COMPOSITES ARE BEING EXAMINED.THESE COMPOSITES ARE UTILIZING TWO REINFORCING MATERIALS: THE PROPRIETARY PAPER NOTED ABOVE AND POLY P-PHENYLENE BENZOBISTHIAZOLE; AND TWO TYPES OF MATRIX MATERIALS: RESIGN SYSTEMS AND SOL-GEL GLASSES. IF SUCCESSFUL, THE INSULATING COMPOSITES WOULD PROVIDE SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER INSULATING MATERIALS FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC GUNS. IN ADDITION, THESE MATERIALS HAVE POTENTIALLY WIDE APPLICATION AS INSULATING MATERIALS IN LARGE ROTATING MACHINES AND POWER TRANSFORMERS. HIGH MECHANICAL STRENGTH, THERMAL STABILITY AND HIGH ELECTRICAL STRENGTH ARE FACTORS WHICH WILL PERMIT MORE RELIABLE AND COST EFFECTIVE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT.