Diesel/Electric Tractors

[buickanddeere]

I know in large ship applications they are using super-conductor motors and generators which can be a third of the size and weight of conventional copper wound, not to mention their 99% efficiency. With various rare-earth conductors super-conduction can be achieved with industrial refrigerants no need for liquid nitrogen or oxygen anymore. One just has to weigh the cost versus weight and efficiency.

Brian

Sorry room temperature super conductors do not exist. Cryogenic cooling is not practical. Sorry too many comic books and science fiction movies giving the general public unrealistic ideas.

 

[brain55]

Sorry room temperature super conductors do not exist. Cryogenic cooling is not practical. Sorry too many comic books and science fiction movies giving the general public unrealistic ideas.

Nobody said anything about room temperature super-conductors.

 

[buickanddeere]

Still ain't gonna work.
Electric drives are used where either the layout of the machine prohibits direct drive. Or variable rpm and variable torque is required .
Freighter ships still direct drive the prop at crankshaft speed with just a drive shaft. Can't beat that efficiency with super conductors.
Trains use electric drive as connecting an infinity variable transmission and drive shafts to the track wheels, powered from a 5000+ HP engine is not otherwise practical.

 

[GManBart]

Sorry room temperature super conductors do not exist. Cryogenic cooling is not practical. Sorry too many comic books and science fiction movies giving the general public unrealistic ideas.

I've seen some prototypes that weren't to room temperature yet, but they'll get there eventually....or close enough that the efficiency is sufficient for the kinds of things we're talking about. Still, there are plenty of mature options with integrated cryogenics. I spent a number of years working with industry to help them protect their intellectual property, and coincidentally, a couple were world leaders in these areas....very cool stuff. Batteries, superconducting materials, electric generation, and electric drive systems are extremely high priority research areas for the Big-3, and they are pouring a boatload of money into them....once that happens, it's only a matter of time.

 

[thehorseguy]

Diesel electric tractors are here, ran a d7e at work this week, saved about 15%on fuel and one less cooler in the radiator stack.

You can run the gender at the most efficient rpm for the load, and with ac traction motors never have a overload during a traction stall.

 

[sparc]

Freight train engines are heavier now than ever before.

And that extra mass helps with transferring all that power to the rail.
the tire size has not changed I don't think between D/E locomotives and
steam powered for the same type/class (freight or passenger service).
So the contact area of the tire and the rail has not changed meaning the
area where friction can be created to allow the train to move is the same.
Seems to me the only way to change that is to add mass for more down
pressure over the contact area.

 

[buickanddeere]

And that extra mass helps with transferring all that power to the rail.
the tire size has not changed I don't think between D/E locomotives and
steam powered for the same type/class (freight or passenger service).
So the contact area of the tire and the rail has not changed meaning the
area where friction can be created to allow the train to move is the same.
Seems to me the only way to change that is to add mass for more down
pressure over the contact area.

We could change all the rail gauges, all the rail lines, all the rail tunnels, all the rail bridges ,all the rail cars, all the infrastructure and all the locomotives?