August 2022 COMET News

Active Projects:

• Awarded with the ARPA-E project "High Power Density Motor Equipped with Additively Manufactured Windings Integrated with Advanced Cooling and Modular Integrated Power Electronics", which is coordinated by Marquette University and where CAPS takes care of the insulation system design, testing and, in the second phase, possibly monitoring.
  • Started
• Awarded with the ARPA-E project “Novel Light-weight Mega-watt Cable System for Large Electrified Aircraft”, which is coordinated by GE. Our work is modelling aging mechanisms, developing stochastic life models, PD measurement and monitoring technology.
  • Started
• Awarded with a new NAVY-ONR contract “Electrical insulation system reliability in the PEPDS project” (included in the broad Power Electronic Power Distribution System (PEPDS) project.
  • Started
• Awarded with NAVY-ONR contract “New high-Temperature dielectric materials with better Thermal and Electrical short-term and long-term Performances- NETTE”.
  • Started
• Awarded with the NAVY-Hepburn & Son SBIR “Medium Voltage Direct Current (MVDC) Partial Discharge and Space Charge Test Apparatus for Cable and Insulated Bus Pipe (IBP)
  • Started; phase 2 from November 2022.
• Awarded with NAVY contract “Electrical Ship Assets: aging modelling, Reliability and Condition Assessment in MV power cables and busbars supplied by DC and AC modulated voltage, ESARCA”
  • Started

News:

•          The chamber endowed with variable pressure, humidity, broad range of temperature and high voltage up to 50 kV has been delivered, under commissioning.
• New PWM testing generator prototype is being developed, voltage up to +- 10 kV.
• Continuing development of the automatic, innovative software for a brand-new PD detector. It can measure PD with any type of waveform (from DC to power electronics), reject noise, identify PD, evaluate component health...automatically and without the need of experts. Training for COMET members is planned also on 2022.
• Seminary for COMET member planned also on 2022 (focusing on motor insulation design and diagnostics)
• New space charge measurement system, PEA, installed.
• New charging-discharging measurement system, installed.
• High-field lab slowly building up and used (delays in any equipment delivery).
• DURIP granted from NAVY to buy UV camera, function generator, power amplifier to generate any type of voltage waveform up to 20 kV.