The maturation of pulsed rotating machines has evolved to the stage where a
greater degree of basic research is required to further increase the energ
y and power density of advanced compulsators. The University of Texas at Au
stin Center for Electromechanics is studying the combined mechanical and el
ectrical aspects of very high speed compulsator rotor designs for the next
generation of compact pulsed rotating machines.
This paper describes the design, construction, and testing of three scaled
composite rotors. Performance specifications included hoop stresses of 1.7
GPa (250 ksi) in the outer banding and strain excursions of 0.4% in the fie
ld coil region. Results from the three studies are reviewed in detail, Tech
niques developed at the Center for Electromechanics for determining composi
te rotor performance are also discussed.