High-performance permanent magnet needs and applications at General Electric

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High-performance permanent magnet

needs and applications at General Electric

Frank Johnson

GE Global Research

Niskayuna, NY 12309

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General Electric Model NHX-10G refrigerator, circa 1950

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2 / GE Title or job number / 1/26/2009

Outline

• Introduction GE Global Research

• Permanent Magnets at GE

– Mixed Rare Earth PM for MRI

– High speed PM compressor motor

• Business needs and applications

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Global research: market-focused R&D

c. 1900

2007

• First US industrial lab

• Began 1900 in Schenectady, NY

• Founding principle … improve

businesses through technology

• One of the world’s most diverse

industrial labs

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Global presence

Global Research Center Niskayuna, NY

China Technology Center Shanghai, China John F. Welch Technology Center

Bangalore, India

Global Research – Europe Munich, Germany • 2,600 research employees (nearly 1,000 PhDs) • 27,000 GE technologists worldwide

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Materials development strategy

•Nanotechnology AT program develops advanced materials technology, including magnetics

•Mixture of company and external funding •Example model for materials development:

– GE develops IP in response to customer need – Licenses IP and works with manufacturers • Close interaction with system designers

– Understand property/performance trades – Approach system entitlements

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6 / GE Title or job number / 1/26/2009 Abinitio Modeling High Power Density Systems Micro-Magnetic Modeling Thermomechanical Processing Microstructural Evolution Magnetic and Mechanical Behavior Magnetic Component

GE Global Research Expertise

→ Atomistics to Component Design

-250 0 250

-20 -10 0 10 20

Applied Field (kOe)

Magn et iz at io n

Magnetic Material Development: Design on Multiple Length Scales

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7 / GE Title or job number / 1/26/2009 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 Year M ax E n er g y P ro d u ct ( B H )m ax ( M G O e) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

KS-Steel MK-Steel _YCo

5 Ba-Sr-Ferrite Co-Ferrite Alnico Alnico Sm-Fe-N Nd-Fe-B Sm₂Co₁₇ SmCo₅ SmCo₅ SmCo₅ SmTM_7-8.5 SmTM_7-8.5 Nano Nd-Fe-B + Fe-Co

The development of permanent magnetic materials in the last century:

The improvement in maximum energy product (BH)_max, which is a measure of the ability to do the work per unit volume of a material.

Permanent Magnet Historical

Developments

Credit: C.Chen, U Dayton, 2009 Nanocomposite Entitlement: >100 MGOe ! Nissan/Daido – 70 MGOe? US Patent # 6,605,162 B2 “Anisotropic Magnet and Process of Producing the Same”

Nanocomposite or exchange spring magnets are predicted to have energy products in excess of 100 MGOe. This entitlement

has not yet been realized due to challenges associated with achieving the required nanoscale structure.

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High-Energy-Product (Pr-Nd-Ce)FeB

Magnets Produced Directly from

Mixed-Rare-Earth-Oxide Feed for

MRI Medical Imaging Applications

16th International Workshop on Rare-Earth Magnets and Their Applications, REMXVI-2000, Sendai, Japan, September 10-13 , 2000

M.G. Benz, J.C. Shei, GE Global Research

C.H. Chen, M.S. Walmer, Electron Energy Corporation

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Lower cost mixed RE PM’s for MRI

PM MRI Configuration New mRE separation scheme

•PM-based MRI represents important market •New rare earth refining process developed to lower material cost

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Lower cost mixed RE PM’s for MRI

(Pr_.71Nd_.27Ce_.02 )FeB alloy system BHMax > 45 MGOe

Two key innovations:

• Change RE composition to maximize RE utilization

• New light RE separation and reduction scheme

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High-Speed Permanent-Magnet Motors

for the Oil&Gas Industry

ASME Turbo Expo 2007, paper GT2007-28282 May 16, 2007

K.Weeber, C.Stephens, J.Vandam, GE Global Research A.Gravame, GE Oil & Gas

J.Yagielski, GE Energy

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Permanent Magnet Rotor Technology

6 MW at 17,000 rpm

Most Robust Architecture for High-Speed

Technology Benefits

• Robust manufacturing process

• No active rotor components

• Minimal heating and thermal cycling

• Best efficiency

• Materials in contact with process gas are

NACE compliant Rotor Shaft Rare-Earth Permanent Magnets Superalloy Retaining Ring Configuration

• Rare-earth permanent magnet rotor

poles

• Metallic retaining ring

• Rigid rotor design

• Multi-plane rotor balance

• Magnetization after assembly

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Integrated Motor-Compressor

Integration Characteristics

• Direct coupling of motor & compressor rotors

¾ No gear box

• Motor shares casing with compressor

• No rotating shaft component penetrates pressure vessel

¾ No shaft-end seals

• Power train levitated by magnetic bearings

¾ Oil-free system

• Motor cooled with process gas

¾ No External cooling system

CAPEX Benefits • No gear

• Simplified auxiliaries (no lube oil & oil cooling) • Smaller footprint & weight

OPEX Benefits

• Reduced down-time for maintenance • Unmanned operation & remote control • No site emissions

• Reduced noise

Challenges

• Process gas compatibility of motor

• Especially for sour gas, acid gas, wet gas

6 MW 12,000 rpm prototype Compressor

Motor

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GE Aviation

Aviation Systems

•Main Generator Systems •APU Generator Systems •RAT Generator Systems •Actuators

Unison Industries

•Permanent Magnet Generators

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GE permanent magnet applications

Businesses

• Aviation

• Transportation

• Energy

• Oil & Gas

• Healthcare

• Consumer and

Industrial

Materials

• NdFeB

– High power density

• SmCo – High temperature • Alnico – Legacy • Hexaferrite – Low cost

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GE permanent magnet needs

• Increased energy product

– Power density

– System Efficiency

• High temperature capability

– Operating temperature

– Temperature stability

• Decreased rare earth content

– Lower cost

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Raw material cost is important driver

Price as of September 2008

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Conclusions

• General Electric has long history of PM

development and application

• Key GE applications: motors, generators, MRI

• Rare earths recognized as strategic elements

• GE works with material developers to achieve

property entitlements

• Close interaction with system designers is

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US Patent # 6,605,162 B2 “Anisotropic Magnet and Process of Producing the Same”

Hideaki Ono, et al. Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Filed Aug. 10, 2001

Publication Date: Apr 18, 2002 (2002/0043402 A1) Issue Date: Aug 12, 2003 Claims 70 MGOe

anisotropic maget

produced by die upset hot plastic forming process

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Rare Earth PM cost estimates

(Nd,Dy)₂(Fe,Co)₁₄B₁

Max energy product: 55 MGOe (440 kJ/m3₎

Raw Material cost: $19/kg $319/kJ

Sm₂Co₁₇

Raw Material cost: $65/kg $1,951/kJ

SmCo₅

Raw Material cost $59/kg $2,886/kJ

$/kg Source Fe $0.51 LME Co $78.10 Aerospace FeB $3.94 FOB China Nd $28.50 FOB China Dy $154.50 FOB China Sm $21.75 FOB China