SBIR Phase I: Technique for Low Cost Fabrication of Amorphous Magnetic Material for Electric Power Applications

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的目的是研究一种制备块体非晶磁性材料的新方法。这种方法是基于一种用于净或近净成形的新的热喷涂方法，该方法已经证明了能够实现保持非晶态所必需的高热猝灭速率。非晶态磁性材料是电力变压器铁心等低损耗电力电子应用的理想材料。不幸的是，非晶态铁心变压器的制造成本目前超过了与之竞争的取向硅钢技术的成本。这项研究的目的是论证这一概念作为一种替代的、节省成本的制造方法的可行性，并为二期项目做准备，以进一步开发该技术，并更全面地了解该方法的优势和局限性。该项目的商业潜力很大，因为仅变压器铁心损耗一项就占每年数十亿美元的损失，而非晶态铁心变压器已经实现了实质性的降损。制造过程中的任何成本降低都将促进进一步的市场渗透和更高效的配电网络。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Project is aimed at investigating a new method for fabrication of bulk amorphous magnetic material. This method is based on a novel thermal spray approach for net or near-net shaping that has demonstrated the capability to achieve the high thermal quench rates that are necessary for retention of the amorphous state. Amorphous magnetic material is desirable for low-loss power electronic applications such as the core of electrical transformers. Unfortunately, manufacturing costs of amorphous core transformers presently exceeds the costs of the competing technology of grain oriented silicon steel. It is the intent of this research to demonstrate the feasibility of the concept as an alternative and cost-saving fabrication method and to prepare for a Phase II project to further develop the technology and gain a more complete understanding of the advantages and limitations of the approach.The commercial potential of the project is significant in that transformer core losses alone account for annual losses in the range of billions of dollars, and amorphous core transformers already realize substantial loss reduction. Any cost reduction in the manufacturing process would promote further market penetration and a more efficient power distribution network.