Φ FLYWHEEL PROPULSION CONFIDENTIAL STATEMENT

CIFRA DOC. #097 -2004 PAGE 1 OF 26

CONFIDENTIAL STATEMENT:

DOC. CN # 097-2004
OF TWENTY SIX (26) PAGES.

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EVALUATION PURSPOSES ONLY, AND MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED OR DIVULGED IN ANY FORM WITHOUT
WROTE PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR.

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(SUBPART 15.5), THE NASA FAR SUPPLEMENT (SUBPART 18-15.5) AND THE NASA COOPERATIVE HANDBOOK
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WHERE APPROPRIATE US-FAR PATENT RIGHTS CLAUSE 52.227-11 AND NEW TECHNOLOGY CLAUSE 1852-227-
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® AND RETRO-ROTARY
ARE A TRADEMARK OF

MOTOR CORP.
BOGOTÁ NEW YORK - PARIS

® ( INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER

FOR TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT OF

PROPULSION FLYWHEELS
-IRCTD ) -
BOGOTA/ COLOMBIA

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Φ FLYWHEEL PROPULSION CONFIDENTIAL STATEMENT
CIFRA DOC. #097 -2004 PAGE 2 OF 26

Φ FLYWHEEL PROPULSION

MAIN DESIGN CONCEPT

By M. G. Acosta

- 2004
International Research Center
on Technology and Development
of Propulsion Flywheels
(IRCTD / RFP)

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Φ FLYWHEEL PROPULSION CONFIDENTIAL STATEMENT
CIFRA DOC. #097 -2004 PAGE 3 OF 26

TECHNICAL FIELD

This Proposal describes the fundamental design, scope and applications of a

Flywheel Propulsion Motor, which technical field relates to
apparatus for providing propulsion for aeronautic and airspace vehicles, and
more particularly, to such a propulsion apparatus including means for converting
the rotational kinetic energy accumulated by a free rotating flywheel system into
a corresponding translational movement in a guided, controlled and steady
manner.

A reaction or Counter-rotational force is

applied to the already rotating flywheel plate
1. ABSTRACT by energizing a particular segment of a
stator Single-sided Linear Induction Motor
This paper describes airspace (SLIM), operating it to counteract the already
Flywheel Propulsion (RFP) rotating rotor at a selected direction at a
Motors, and more particularly, varying rate, in accordance with Retro-rotary
electromechanical advanced RFP for principles.
extended airspace propulsion applications.
A preferred embodiment of the invention
Such a system will generate thrust by comprises a series of at least three layered
expending momentum instead of propulsive flywheel plates on each Retro-Rotor motor
mass, boosting any airspace craft from the drive, to assure a geared thrust induction
airborne conditions of aerodynamic flight, over the entire variable impulse regime
instead of boostering it against gravity. required by the flywheel, from light-on start-
up, through idle impulsion, till peak operating
On outer space regime it will thrust the conditions, so assuring each regime cycle
vehicle by expending its rotary kinetic on a purpose made geared universal
energy on a continuous basis, without propulsor.
consume of any combustible propulsive
mass. Electric phase controllers, digitalized, are
used for driving the energizing current of the
A Flywheel propulsor SLIM drives, and hence, the propulsive
consists of a series of ferro-magnetic thrust derived. Optical interphases shall be
composite disk drives of very high rim speed used for interference free operation.
capability (of a 50,000 RPM airspace class),
on plates with a main radio vector of around An on-board motor and/or direct – generator
3 m1, for actual airspace launching source shall be used to power the steady
operations. operation of the propulsors. It may consist of
a series of aerodynamic in flight motor-
For so doing, each advanced composite disk generators coupled to the main jet-engines
drive is coupled at its axis to a variable of the vehicle, as a switched reluctance
voltage, variable frequency Homopolar motor-generator coupled to each engine.
motor-generator, which cause said plate to
develop an angular momentum equivalent to The jet engines shall be of the state of the
its mass, size, and relative rotational speed. art, eolic upgraded, capable of capturing the

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aerodynamic drag of the flight to impulse the highlight their potential performance, cost
motor-generators. reduction enhancement for both acquisition
and operation, and reliability projections.
Internal combustion (space rated engines),
coupled to high power fuel cells, fueled by Retro-Rotor Flywheel Propulsion is
on board hydrogen-oxygen or similar proposed to be a highly reliable,
combustors, may be used on spaceborne environmentally sound and inherently safe
conditions. Other hybrid systems may also concept. It withholds the promise of
be provided to assure steady on space dramatically reduced costs for the overall
prime power sourcing. operation and access to space on adjusted
applications, proper to aeronautic standards.
A preferred embodiment of a lifting body This shall provide a rather revolutionary
and/or flying wing body fuselage is used to transport system enabling at last sustained
describe the apparatus of the invention for business private operations within it.
trans-atmospheric airspace applications,
without departing from the essential spirit of A kind of advancement which while requiring
the invention. significant R&T investments may assure a
sustained access and widespread use of
Such an embodiment may include a plurality outer space, providing unknown
of at least two pairs of main opportunities for leadership and innovation,
propulsors, each of them assembled as well as an entire new class of working
alongside on the wing sides of the vehicle, places for a myriad of multi-purpose in
each one powered by a proper eolic jet- space operations, in a way much more
engine of the e.g., GE A-1 class. familiar to us on the global civil aviation and
aeronautic flight standards of present days.
A maneuvering system of at least three
modular high precision micro- We conclude with the need for establishing
propulsors, are disposed on tripod position a new Flywheel Propulsion
at the three main vertex of vehicle. They Laboratory dedicated to develop and
shall be aligned to define three-dimensional advance Retro-Rotor Flywheel technology
attitude, guidance and steering of yaw, pitch and applications, within the world airspace
and roll control over the entire vehicle. community, at the highest possible level.

Also they may provide navigation, gravity

generation, vibration damping amortization,
in orbit docking, de-docking, lifting and
reentering breaking control operations, all by 2. RETRO-ROTARY MOTION
purpose made actuators. Redundant units of
all kind of propulsive drives shall be Following the dynamic model of the rotation-
implemented for contingency operation and translation addition theorem due to Euler,
safety requirements. when applied to a gyroscopic flywheel
system of two degrees of freedom, we may
Inference of other kind of applications and develop a linear actuator by
configurations are made, as well as considering that an elastic free rotating
projections of their performance capabilities flywheel may be compelled to develop a
as compared with the prevailing technology translational motion in a controlled manner,
available today. if a reaction force is applied at the periphery
of the rotating body, compelling it to
Permanent thrust capability on total electric participate of two main rotational motions at
propulsors operated on aeronautic/airspace the same time:
trans-atmospheric launch vehicles with - One first due to the rotation of the
“eolic” configuration is proposed, as well as flywheel with respect to its central
their application to current US space inertial axis, O’Z’ -or axis of dynamic
exploration initiatives is overlooked to symmetric rotation- with angular

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speed W’, called Relative rotation valued relationship between the absolute
(R), speed (Va), the relative speed (V’), and the
- And one second due to the rotation drag speed (V”), of any given mass point
of said central inertial axis around a P(M) of the rotating flywheel, following the
reaction axis (O”Z”), with angular form:
speed W”, called drag or counter
rotation (CR), thus also called Va = V’ + V” ; (i)
Retro-Rotary.

For such a system, if both the central inertial

axis and the reaction axis are paralleled, (as
shown in the Graphic Scheme of FIG. A),
the resulting transfer of rotational into
translational motion will be given by the

FIG. A

Where α and Ω are the relative angular

So, the central inertial axis and the reaction acceleration and angular speed of the
axis form a coplanar prime and biprime biprime system with respect to the prime,
system moving together, following the form: i.e., the ones developed by the propulsor,
and d corresponds to the rate of exchange
V” = V’ + Ω d ; (ii) of rotary into translatory motion, or
convergence factor of the flywheel, owe to
And, Retro-Rotary reaction, which in a reversible
configuration will be equivalent to:
a” = a” + 2 Ω V’ + α d + Ω (Ω
Ω d) ; (iii)
d = r0 / (k + 1) ; (iv)

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In which r0 corresponds to the size of the z = ½ ( mr ) ;

2
(viii)
main radio vector of the flywheel, and k to a
proportional factor, which when the relative
As the rotating momentum accumulated
and drag rotating speeds W’ and W” have
corresponds to the given propulsive mass
the same sense is equivalent to W’/W”, and
which is to be expended to booster the
whenever they have opposite sense it
vehicle, as a general rule, said rotating
becomes –W’/W”, provided that W’ be
momentum shall be kept between given
different from -W”.
working limits, while the propulsor releases
kinetic energy at a varying rate, giving the
Such a movement shall be called Plane-
form of its equation of motion to be
Paralleled- Instantaneous -Retro- Rotary-
Reaction or Retro-Rotation.
d / dt = – (w ) ; (ix)
The relationship of the moving mass point
P(M) (from P to M) with respect to any Where and are respectively, the
external point without prime (O), whenever flywheel momentum of the quantity of
the related orientations between the prime motion ( ), and ( ) the arising momentum,
and biprime systems do not change, will be with respect to O, of all external forces
thus, given by the relative speed of O’ applied to it, (w) being the rotational speed
and O” with respect to O, of the flywheel, following Euler.

= V” + V ; As the allowable range of speeds and the

(v) required energy interchange will determine
the specifications of the motor, the
= V + V” + Ω d ;
expendable kinetic energy will depend thus
on the size of the Retro-Rotor and its rotary
and by the relative acceleration of O’ and speed capability, following the equation
O” with respect to O,
2 2
E = MR Cf n / 91.2 g ; (x)

= a” + A ; Where M is the gross weight of the rotor, R

its main radius of gyration, g is the gravity
= A + a’ + 2Ω
Ω V’ + αd + Ω (Ω d) ; (vi) constant, and Cf is a coefficient of
fluctuation, equivalent to (n1 – n2) / n , where
So that α and Ω become also the prime and n1 and n2 are the maximum and minimum
biprime angular acceleration and speed with rotary speeds allowable, given in RPM, and
respect to the system without prime. n the average rotary speed given by

For so doing the rotor of the flywheel shall n = (n1 – n2) / 2 ; (xi)
be an elastic homogeneous cylindrical body
which dynamic axis shall coincide with the As all rotating components in the propulsor
central inertial axis of rotation, so correlating contribute to the flywheel effect, they should
its central momentum of inertia ( ) to its be considered in much more detail for a
inertial central ellipsoid, in a free movable complete analysis of any specific design,
rectangular Cartesian coordinated system summing up all the different rotating weights
(Ox, Oy, Oz) rigidly coupled to a massive and their respective radii of gyration
cylindrical flywheel with mass m, radius r, squared, making the equation (x) to become
and height h, which rotates around its fixed of the form
central inertial axis z , correlated to the
2 2
dynamic axis Oz of the reference system, E = ( Σ MR ) Cf n / 91.2 g ; (xii)
making the equation of central momentum to
be of the form In which the main flywheel effect will be thus
equivalent to

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of its structural, propulsive, and payload net

2 2
M1R1 + M2R2 …+ MnRn
2
= Σ MR
2
; weights.

If we consider a Motor
The net thrust ( ) delivered by the
driven vehicle at any instant t, to be moving
propulsion system, neglecting any kind of
with respect to Earth with a linear flight
resistance, will be directly proportional to
the total momentum accumulated by the speed , keeping its propulsive Retro-
rotating rig, in the form of expendable kinetic Rotary thrust unchanged, and if it is not
energy, or flywheel effect E to be exchanged being submitted to any external force
by Retro-Rotary reaction, times the drag (without weight), at a further instant (t + ∆t)
speed V” developed: its flight speed will be ( ∆ ). As we will
keep the linear absolute speed Va
= E V” ; (xiii) developed by the propulsor constant during
the flight, its speed with respect to Earth
As the net thrust deliverable will depend on during the time ∆t will be then ( + Va), so
the torque coefficient T of the system, given that the equation of motion for the vehicle
by becomes

= + ∆ ) + Va ; (xviii)
T = / Ew ; (xiv)
So that,
Where is the driving power provided by the
drives, E the expendable ∆ = -(1 / ) Va ;
kinetic energy or flywheel effect provided by
the rotating rotors, depreciating any By integrating we get
resistance effect due to the interaction, both
dynamic and mechanic, of the associated
= - Va log (1/ ) + constant ; (xix)
rotor and stator bodies of the drives, and w
being its absolute angular acceleration at
This in decimal logarithms becomes:
the arising center.

The thrust coefficient –depreciating the

aerodynamic effect owe to travel conditions- = 2.3 Va log ; (xx)
will be then

As for practical purposes, the vehicle will

= / (E ga) = V” / ga ; (xv)
expend momentum instead of propulsive
mass, and as said momentum may be kept
The ga factor is the absolute linear between an allowable coefficient of rotary
acceleration due to gravity.
speed fluctuation given by (xii), keeping at
a human bearable rate (around 1g), there is
Such a device will then
propulse any airspace vehicle fulfilling a total not a top to dependent on it, making the
system, for practical purposes, a permanent
retro-rotary thrust requirement given by
accelerated -man rated if necessary- very
the law
high specific impulse, far reaching, deep
space propulsor.
= (D / L) Wg + ; (xvi)
Of course, such a power density and range
Where D corresponds to the vehicle for a vehicle drive will depend on the nature
airborne drag, L to its lift power, and Wg to and architecture of its prime-motor sources,
its gross weight, composed by the addition which by appropriate technical choice can
be hybrid and last for years, as with the use

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of a multi-MW nuclear submarine drive, a If we know the average distances of the

Thermionic converter, or a SP-100 space main celestial bodies to be explored within
born nuclear power plant. Such a long the Solar system and some of its
lasting deep space flight will then be neighboring stars, within say 30 Light Years
governed mainly by general relativity rules. (LY), as given by the following time-table,
we may thus conclude, by Retro-Rotary
Accordingly, it is a primary object of this principles, that they will reach their
invention to provide a propulsion system that destinations, and come back safely in a time
utilizes the Retro-Rotary effect to move a schedule as such attached herein under, by
vehicle in a selected direction. Another applying the equation given at (xx), and by
object of this invention is to use it to considering that the thrust applied will be
propulse different kind of vehicles into the equivalent to the minimum escape velocity
air, water, land and outer space, through required from the Sun, i.e., 17 km/sec (or
great distances. Still another object of this 61,200 km/hr.), given as the acceleration
invention is to provide such a vehicle having factor , where the transit time ( ) of the
self contained means to steer, control, flight will thus be
stabilize, and guide it in flight through
actuators. ½
= {S / ( 2.3 Va log )} (xxi)
These and other objects of this invention will
become apparent from a review of the As the travel will be half accelerated and half
detailed specification which follows and a decelerated, thus (t’ = 2 ); and as it will take
consideration of the accompanying approx. the same transit time to come back,
drawings. the entire travel time (t”) will be thus (t” =
4 ), without accounting any exploration time.

Thus, for a destination (D), situated at an

average distance from Earth of (S), (given in
Million Km), given the flight speed ( ) in K/h,
Exercise : and applying always the same acceleration
factor (of 17 Km/s) given by ( ) and absolute
If we consider that a deep linear speed (Va), given in km/h, the transit
space vehicle may be boosted permanently, times provided by Retro-Rotary principles,
throughout all the way of the path of travel will be thus given by the schedule time-table
followed, it shall thus accelerate the first half as follows:
of the travel and decelerate the second half,
exploring at low speeds the region seek, to
thereafter return to Earth following the same
pattern.

DESTINATION (D) DISTANCE (S) TRANSIT (t’) T/R TRANSIT (t”)

Mio. Km. h (days) (a) hours (b) (c)

0. Earth/suborbital 0.044 0.51 1.02

1. Moon 0.33 1.4 2.8
2. Mars/Venus 54.7 18.02 36.04
3. Asteroid main belt 200 (average) 34.46 68.92
4. Jupiter/Calyx 589 59.13 (2.46 ) 118.26
5. Saturn/Titan 1106 81.03 (3.38 ) 162.06
6. Uranus/Titania 2570 123.52 (5.15 ) 247.04
7. Neptune/Triton 4309 159.94 (6.66 ) 319.88
8. Pluto/Coronte 5300 177.37 (7.39 ) 354.74

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9. Kuiper belt 8468 (av.) 224.21 (9.34 ) 448.42

10. Oort belt 16448 (av) 312.47 (13.02) 624.95
11. Α Centauri 37820 473.83 (19.74) 947.65
12. Barnard 52770 559.70 (23.32) 1119.39
13. Wolf 357 71240 650.31 (27.10) 1300.62
14. Laland 72120 654.31 (27.26) 1308.63
15. Sirius 76520 673.98 (28.08) 1347.96
16. Luyten 76540 674.07 (28.09) 1348.14
17. Ross A 84480 708.17 (29.51) 1416.34
18. Ross B 90640 733.53 (30.56) 1467.06

(a) The distance on the factor (0.6738) (c) Any exploration time shall be added
of Va, rooted, multiplied by 2 to get to this time-table schedule.
t’,
(b) And by 4 to get t”.

3. THE ENGINE CONCEPT

ENGINE DIAGRAM

In which, the main rotor plates (1a, 1r, and 1p), baked by the secondary reaction rails
(2a, 2b, and 2c), are rotated around their common inertial shaft axis (4), in response to

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the axial impulsion provided by the Homopolar motor drive (6), it anchored to the main
cage structure of the engine (8) by means of axial and radial magnetic bearings (5m, and
5r,) assisted by the auxiliary bearings (5a) at the tips. The flywheel plates shall
accumulate a momentum equivalent to their size, mass, and relative rotational speed.
The Flywheel engine develops propulsive thrust by activating a given correlated
segmented primary SLIM drives (7), both axial or arched (7a), and radial (7r’ and 7r”),
in accordance with Retro-Rotary principles. The Black-Box cage structure (8) of the
engine shall be appropriately fixed to the main body of the vehicle so as to assure its
propulsive boostering in a selected bi-dimensional plane of action.

electric motors, as it will become apparent

a. Basic concepts from the specification which follows.

As a general rule, rotating electric motors,

when applied to any kind of vehicle, are b. Main Applications
designed to produce linear motion thrust
through some kind of gearing attachments to Various kinds of RFP drives may be derived
the wheels or propellers of said vehicles. as a practical application for flywheel
propulsion. The applications affordable by
Rotating electric motors has not been found said RFP units refer to the development of
to be feasible for any practical direct the motors for linear motion thrust, short
propulsion application thus far. stroke thrust, and oscillating motion thrust.

However, linear motion may be derived Said thrust machines comprise power
directly from Linear Electric Motors (LEM’s), machines for continuous duty operating at
a kind of an unrolled counterpart of almost medium to high angular speed regimes with
every electrical rotating application. very high efficiency, as main drive
propulsors.
LEM’s are used to thrust levitating trains
(MagLevs), as a main application for Force machines for short stroke duty on high
propulsion purposes, and may be used to demanding applications, as e.g., hard linear
lunch space vehicles from a rack, as a accelerating, breaking boostering, and lifting
starter for first stage LEM boostering. actuators against gravity.

It is a purpose of this Proposal to derive a And short-duty oscillating motion force

new kind of electric rotating motors for direct engines of small size configuration, for
propulsion applications, from Retro-Rotary precision accurate applications, as e.g.,
propulsion principles, thus called attitude control, vibration damping, and main
® Flywheel Propulsors (RFP). navigation steering drives.

For continuous driving main propulsion

As said motors will derive its propulsive applications, RFP motors shall be derived
thrust by expending the kinetic energy from power machines rated at very high
accumulated by the rotors, they will thus be speed regimes, both linear and axial, and
independent of any external support media very high performance configurations.
and of any expendable propulsive mass.
They shall be considered to be superior on
They will conform then to a rather hybrid their subject application configuration, to all
configuration of both rotary and linear previous art, owe to the avoidance of all
rotary to linear mechanic interaction through

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magnetic bearing, and electromagnetic steady propulsion thrust through variable

digitalized driving, so providing a more impulse regimes, from short-stroke start-up,
robust, simple, efficient and reliable device. through acceleration – deceleration regimes,
till peak cruise steady operating conditions,
Energy machines may provide a better assuring each regime cycle by a purpose
acceleration and deceleration performance made geared or layered plate. Redundancy
without wear on the track of the flywheel, is also essential to avoid contingencies, so
due to the electromagnetic driving. as to achieve safety requirements.

Optical interphases must provide better The segmented SLIM disk drives are
protection to the driving commands with the operated to counter-rotate or brake the
ability to withstand a more hostile already rotating flywheel plates at a given
environment, with easier maintenance, radial polarity, thus inducing “retro-rotary”
repair and replacement, all of paramount reactions. They will compel it essentially to
importance to Retro-Rotor actuators. develop a drag force chosen at will with
respect to the vehicle main frame reference,
so as to derive a given propulsive thrust in a
c. RFP engines selected direction, or to cancel it (active
braking) following Retro-Rotary principles.
Retro-Rotor Flywheel Propulsors may be
thus considered to be an application of Electric phase controllers may be used to
LEMs to a flywheel system, comprising a govern the propulsion thrust derived from
very high rim speed rotor (on the order of at any given actuator, they being operated
least 17,000 m/sec at 48,000 RPM). To through digital pulse commands. Optical
achieve such a performance the rotor shaft interphases are recommended to avoid
of the flywheel shall be powered by a state interferences owe to high electric eddy
of the art Homopolar motor drive coupled to currents from the propulsor charges, so
it. providing an appropriate protection to said
functions.
Each flywheel rotor plate shall be made for a
very high rim speed capability, with solid- A switched reluctance starter generator
web composite alloys made of paramagnetic coupled to each of the main prime
materials proper to act as secondary generating engines of the vehicle, e.g., to
anchors for a series of primary SLIM’s, as the jet engines of an aircraft vehicle, shall
shown below, and covered by its active face act as the prime power generators for the
by an aluminum laid. homopolar motors of the main propulsors, in
accordance with every application seek,
The rotor plates are operated to store a e.g., for surface, airborne or space borne
rotating momentum, equivalent to the size, vehicles.
mass, and relative rotating speed of all the
rotating elements associated to the flywheel, Thus a completely autonomous propulsion
and shall act as the moving secondary for means may be developed, independent of
the series of collateral segmented Single any external supporting media, and of any
Sided Linear Induction Motors (SLIM), which expendable propulsive mass, by means of
operate as propulsion and guidance control which a propulsion thrust may be derived
drives over the machine, following Retro- from the momentum accumulated by the
Rotary principles. rotating rig on a continuous manner.

A preferred embodiment of the engine The specific impulse, power density, and
comprises a series of at least three rotor structural design configuration which it may
plates on each flywheel motor, geared on a provide, means a rather robust, flexible,
common cage structure. Such a system of efficient and affordable non mass-
geared-like or “layered” plates within the expendable propulsive drive, of very high
flywheel system are essential to achieve a performance capability. Such a propulsive

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mean means a profound revolution on a” = a’ + 2Ω

ΩV’ + ad + Ω(Ω d) (ii)
general propulsion systems, which may be
thus, applied to aeronautic, airspace, and
deep space vehicles of all kinds, and Where a is the relative angular
thereafter to all kinds of general and propulsive acceleration gained through
specialized purposes spin-off thrusters. the application of a convergence factor
(or accelerating thrust) by means of a
propulsive SLIM drive activated at will to
repel the already rotating flywheel at a
given 2-dimensional eigen-value
function. The accelerating rate provided
4. THE FLYWHEEL by a propulsive thrust will depend thus
very closely on the ability of the machine
BASIC CRITERIA to develop drag from the rotating
momentum accumulated.
As a critical element of the Retro-Rotor
For so doing, an independent rotary
propulsors are the SLIM disk plates,
accelerator is need, capable of reaching
they shall be considered in more detail
rim speeds of >17,000 m/sec. (near the
for design configuration.
burst strength of the composite steel
rotor), at over 50,000 RPM, if actual
In general terms, the operation principle,
space launching capability is seek.
topological features, and operating
Such a rim speed may be provided by a
conditions determine the design criteria
Homopolar solid rotor motor of airspace
for the new machine, and they have to
class (1) coupled to the axis shaft of the
be developed from prior art by
plates.
introducing the new
phenomena that can not be fully
Such a motor must produce torque to
explained by conventional theory. Thus,
spin the flywheel up to its light-on
a new method of analysis has to be
speed, and thereafter, to assist the
developed from known criteria.
engine in accelerating through idle
speeds, till peak operating conditions, at
Flywheel Propulsors
the designated rim speed requirement.
derived from a momentum device are
governed mainly by the Euler rotation-
translation addition theorem, by means
To energize the Homopolar motor of
of which the drag speed (V” ) provided
each engine, a Switched reluctance
by a RFP engine corresponds to
starter-generator (1) coupled to each
main eolic upgraded jet-engine of the
V” = V’ + Ω d ; (i) vehicle, shall be implemented on
aerodynamic flight, and to an alternative
Where V’ is the relative speed of the space-class internal combustion or
flywheel with respect to its main central direct generator prime-power source for
inertial axis, and Ω and d are the relative space born operation.
angular speed and main reaction radius
developed as drag reaction. Said motors shall keep the RFP engines
system between working limits, while it
The correlated drag acceleration a” will releases electric energy at varying rates
thus be over its entire operating ranges. Key
issues in such a design are reliability,

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high rotating speed, power density, For so doing, any main RFP propulsor
structural strength, efficiency, and for space launching operations shall be
weight. designed with sizes between one and a
half and three meters of main
The control means for the RFP switched convergence radius span, to reach the
starter-generators, are very well known operating requirement at the rim speed
to the art (2). They consist of solid state stated, and shall be made of a solid web
power converters, which must include a composite metal providing the magnetic
closed-loop regulator, controlling the requirements of the SLIM drive
amount of fire angle advance to primaries, baked by an aluminum based
maintain an optimum torque production laid by its active face.
from the RFP’s at high rim speed, and a
digital commutation controller which This will allow establishing the main
generates phase firing pulses for the flywheel effect factor (or wk2, as
inverter, following the requirements of established above) by summing up the
the rotor SLIM drives angle, pulse width, different rotating weights and radii of
and pulse advance to generate gyration squared, including all rotating
propulsion. bodies, as such of the rotors of the
Homopolar motors coupled to the plates
The flywheel design for a stress-free of each flywheel system.
high rim speed rotor exceeding 10,000
m/sec, is very complex. As the flywheel Of course, on outer space regime, said
effect gained as exchangeable kinetic effect depends entirely on the span size
energy is plotted against the torque of the main rotating plates, besides the
required in each cycle, to obtain the antigravity effect of all rotating bodies at
appropriate coefficient of fluctuation for high rim speeds on Earth borne
the stated rim speed range, the thrust conditions, as discovered by Leithwaithe
application should be designed between in the 1980’s, to which conclusions we
a given value of 0.100 and 0.200, as adhere, and which we should overlook
stated by R.C. Johnson (3). on an actual experiment designed with
this purpose, as we also proposed them
But the very high rim speed requirement on a previous paper (4).
demands solid composite –para-
magnetic on its active face- steel Thus to achieve man-rated launch
techniques eliminating welding, rim requirements and outer space cruise
porosities, and blowholes. Such a speeds to escape the Sun gravity and
structural design for the plate disks, of attain the near-by stars, the launched
the solid web type, must be accurately vehicles must be boosted to speeds in
analyzed for stress at rim speeds excess of Mach 25 on its way out of
exceeding the stated 10,000 m/sec Earth, and at cruiser ones of Mach 30 to
requirement, in flywheels which limiting escape the Sun.
factors –weight and size- are
determined by the application seek, as a It will require then flywheel propulsors of
moving paramagnetic secondary for the a main radius span size of around three
SLIM disk drives, which provide meters. It means a real technological
propulsion for the entire vehicle, besides challenge to be accomplished.
the space availability and weight severe
restrictions proper to airspace systems.

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(1) Radan, A. V. (G.E. Corporate particular application are to be prepared by

Research and Development), the engineers, as it will be done (with ref.
Homopolar and Switched Reluctance data), as a general demonstration exercise,
Motor Drives of High Power Density, hereinafter in the next technical report.
designed for Airspace applications.
IEEE 1989, pp. 568-573 (Cat. Nº
89CH2792-0, Schenectady, NY, Essentially, SLIM drives are designed to
003756/89. repel an already rotating rotor at a varying
(2) MacMinn, Stephen, (G.E. Co.), Control rate, so as to compel it to exchange its
of Switched reluctance aircraft engine rotating momentum into a given translatory
starter-generator, Schenectady, NY, motion, selected at will in a powered
1989, IEEE 1989, pp. 1758-1764. controlled manner, in accordance with
(3) Johnson, RC, Optimum design of Retro-Rotary principles.
mechanical elements, McGraw-Hill,
(4) 1951. Cif. CIFRA # 031, 1977. For so doing, they must be segmented in at
least two pairs of main short primary
actuators, each pair distributed
symmetrically at each main pole of
propulsion over the active face of the of the
flywheel.
5. THE
So it may be derived the main propulsion
forces, both forward and backward, for
SLIM DISK DRIVES thrust and brake induction over the traveling
vehicle, on the bi-dimensional plane of
The main driving actuators rotation of the rotating plates with respect to
over the flywheel system are the Linear the main reference system of vehicle, and to
Electric Motors. the horizon, in a controlled manner.

They are designed as single sided linear Redundancy shall be implemented to assure
induction motors (SLIM) for disk drives, with safety requirements.
fixed short primaries made of compensated
polyphase (gramme-ring) windings of A second set of SLIM drives, designed and
longitudinal flux, which may be assembled assembled independently with respect to the
both as arch and/or disk actuators. main propulsive driving ones, over the same
flywheel system, are essential to gently
Of course, other configurations may be steer the flying vehicle over the path of
developed to accomplish travel followed on airspace conditions.
propulsion without departing from the
essential spirit of the invention, e.g., double- A third independent new system of attitude
sided LIMs with both, longitudinal or controllers, composed of three integrated
transverse flux configuration, linear flywheels of > 0.3 m of radius span,
synchronous motors with conventional or powered as continuous duty energy drives
superconducting field windings, linear of >10,000 m/sec rotational capability,
reluctance or linear Homopolar motor drives enclosed and geared on three independent
configured as acyclic drives, etc.. Black-Box caged structures, assembled to
the vehicle in tripod positions at the three
Short primary SLIMs generate some side main vertex of same, and controlled through
effects owe to their very nature, as edge digital steering.
effects, both static and dynamic, transverse
edge effects, skin effects, air-gap leakage They will provide attitude, stability and
fluxes, and normal forces. They shall all be guidance to the navigation control and
considered in considerable detail for command of the vehicle, e.g., for yaw, pitch,
appropriate design analysis, when the roll and steering control, and are an active-
governing equations corresponding to a dynamic complement to the aerodynamic

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controller surfaces of the fuselage, common main thrust convergence value induction, in
to this kind of vehicles. At best they may an appropriate manner within the habitacle.
provide also lifting against gravity, especially
at microgravity ambience. All said functions, main propulsion, attitude
control, steering guidance and navigation,
Another totally new system, which outer space amortization, and artificial
complement the main propulsion drives and gravity generation, are all to be achieved by
attitude controllers, are a set of redundant purpose made actuator drives, which by
three–dimensional, vertex placed, outer their very structure and configuration, are
space amortization, or vibration dampers, only feasible from Retro-Rotor flywheel
powered as short stroke SLIM drives. propulsion principles.

They are designed essentially as the Furthermore, long-range, man-rated

formers, but are also associated to a permanent accelerated devices may be
gyroscopic vibration sensor, a computer developed, withstanding long-lasting
controlled system capable of identifying all continuous duty working conditions on outer
abnormal vibrating motions of the vehicle space, which by applying Retro-Rotor
structure, generated by the moving parts principles criteria to known technologies
and human activity within it. may provide far reaching deep space travel
techniques.
Such a system must thus react to said
perception by providing minor oscillatory It will depend only on the pacing evolution of
thrust reactions proper to cancel the prime power generation technologies, that
vibration motions identified, in real time, and they may eventually lead to relativistic
on a three-dimensional digital controlled and controlled space travel, and thus to
continuous basis, following an eigen-value interstellar exploration.
function.
A rather first class breakthrough, if properly
This is a function essential to achieve designed and demonstrated, at first within
habitation and operational conditions to full automated artificial intelligent proves, by
sensitive equipment in orbit at microgravity the world space exploration community.
ambience, unaffordable by any active
control system known to us without Vernier
micro-propulsors, and by which absence it
has become a real headache to all space
station designers, limiting performance and
endurance of said systems. 6. A REM/SLIM ANALITICAL
If associated to a 1-g artificial gravity
generator –essentially a vehicle rotation MODEL
generator around a given centroide eigen-
value- made as a continuous duty energy
drive, it will make it to rotate around the
centroide in or outside the vehicle itself, The exact model of a RETRO-ROTOR SLIM
compelling it to achieve a gravity standard disk drive may be developed from Maxwell
into the cabin habitacle, -designed on a field theory following the computational
purpose-made configuration if so required- techniques as such used through idealized
whenever the crew members so require. theory (1).

On a long range outer space travel flight the Analytical models for SLIM/REM’s shall
main propulsors may also be adjusted, e.g., resemble the physical boundaries of the real
by pivoting their position into the vehicle machine to the best possible degree. As the
against the path of travel followed, so as to solutions to the boundary value of inherently
generate the gravity standard by their very discontinuous REM/SLIM short primaries,

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are not presently known, the solutions This result may be thus compared with
describing the magnetic vector potential may idealized REM/SLIM solutions of the closed
be derived by finite-difference methods. form, to get a convergence solution for the
machine, its mesh size, and any error owe
This allows establishing the difference forms to the discretization process.
for the corresponding boundaries and
interface conditions. The model of a given REM/SLIM machine
with back iron shall be divided into six basic
These equations may be solved by the so regions (as shown in the scheme of FIG. 1),
called Successive Over Relaxation method
(SOR) or extrapolated Liebmann method The potential differential equation for the
(2). magnetic vector potential in region 1 will
thus be :
Thus, the magnetic vector potential may
allow deriving the magnetic flux density,
Retro-Rotary thrust drag forces, current [δ2A / δx2] + [δ2A / δy2] =
densities, and ohmnic loses in the reaction
plate of the machine.
= [µ0 σ δA / δt] + [ µ0 σ U δA / δx ] (i)
The value of the stated quantities at each
node may be established from the vector
potential, and the total value of said
quantities throughout a region may be
derived by numerical integration.

y, i !<----------- L ----------->!
Î (4) !_____________________________________!

It (3) !—ee ----! ///////////////////////////////

I I
= (5) ======================= µ −> µ0 , σ = 0
ag (2) ______________________________________________ µ0 , σ = 0
th (1) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ µ0 , σ −> 0

te (6) /////////////////////////////// Î z µ −> µ0 , σ = 0

0L (4) _____________________________________ x, j motion
! !
LAYER (1) = CONDUCTION SHEET (PRIMARY)
LAYER (2) = AIR GAP
LAYER (3) = IRON PLATE (SECONDARY)
LAYER (4) = EXTERNAL BOUNDARIES
LAYER (5) = CURRENT SHEET (SECONDARY)
LAYER (6) = BACK IRON (PRIMARY)
L = LENGHT OF SECONDARY IN THE X-DIRECTION

FIG 1:

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REALISTIC REM/SLIM MODEL

In which :
1. Layers (1), (2) extend to infinity in the + x direction.
2. Layer (3) is inherently discontinuous in the + x direction, and all of them being discontinuous
in the + y direction, the most critical spanning of the real machine.
3. The excitation windings are located at the slotted primary structure, smoothed for
convenience to permit representation of the machine excitation as a current sheet of
negligible thickness and finite width.
4. The motion of the secondary is in the x – direction only.
5. The physical constants of the layers are homogeneous, isotropic, and linear.
6. The ferromagnetic material does not saturate.
7. Variations on the z – direction are ignored.
8. All currents flow in z – direction only.
9. The primary is constructed of laminated iron only, to ensure that conductivity in the z –
direction is negligible.
10. Time and space variations are sinusoidal.

(r) the pole pitch (in m),

(q) the number of slots per pole per phase,
Said equations for regions (2) through (6) (s) the slip,
are: (h) the secondary thickness (in m), and
(w) the number of turns per phase.
2 2 2 2
[δ A/δx ]+[δ A/δy ] = 0 ; (ii)

Where A is the magnetic vector potential (in

webers / m ), U the relative speed between
primary and secondary units (in m/s), x, y, z
the Cartesian coordinates (in m), µ0 the ! (2)
magnetic permeability of free space (in qh !
henrys / m), and σ the magnetic conductivity !
of rotor reaction plate (in ohms /m). (3) ______________ !___ph_______ (1)
rh ! (o)
The corresponding difference equations may !
be derived from the Taylor series expansion sh !
for the vector potential, obtaining a general ! (4)
asymmetrical free – point computational
molecule (as shown in Flg. (2) ), following
the form FIG 2: Computational molecule
of five points Asymmetrical
[ 2 A1 / p (p + r) ] + [ A2 / q (q + s) ] +
As the idealized model of FIG 1 does not
[ A3 / r (r + p) ] + [ A4 / s (q + s) ] - have current boundaries, the properties of
2
the media do not change abruptly in the x-
[ (1 / pr) + (1 / qs) A0 = h w ; (iii) direction, except for the finite primary length.
And as all layers of the model are parallel to
where
(p) is the number of pole pairs,

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the x-axis, it is reasonable to expect more

abrupt changes in the y-direction. For said computational molecule, equation
(3) becomes in region (1),
Under these circumstances, it is convenient
to select a grid structure parallel to the
boundaries. These requirements can be A (i, j) = [ A (i + 1j) + A (i – 1j) + αA (ij + 1)
met with a simplified computational + βA (ij – 1) ] / γ ; (iv)
molecule, in which most critical spacing is in
the y-direction. So it may be achieved the and in regions (2) through (6),
requirements of flexibility by letting r = p = 1,
and q = s, thus reducing the mesh length in
the x-direction to h and qh in the y-direction,
as shown in FIG (3).
2
A (i, j) = [ A (i + 1j) + A (i – 1j) + q A (ij + 1) B x1 = B x2 and B y1 = B y2 (ix)
2 2
+ q A (ij – 1) ] / 2 (q + 1 ) ; (v)
B y2 = By3 and [µ2 / µ3 ] Bx3 – Bx2 =

= µ2 Jz ; (x)
I + 1, j
! By1 = By6 and Bx1 =
! qh
! = (µ1 / µ6 ) Bx6 ; (xi)
h ! h
--------------------- !----------------------- where
i, j - 1 ! i, j i, j + 1
α is a complex constant, as described by
!
idealized theory (5),
qh !
β is the phase constant, in radians / m, and
!
i – 1, j γ the forward traveling wave, as defined in
(5) ,
j being the complex operator (-1)½
FIG 3: REM/SLIM COMPUTATIONAL w the primary angular frequency or electrical
MOLECULE SIMPLIFIED angular velocity, in radians / s, and
jz the primary current sheet linear density.

A further analysis shows how to solve the

boundary problem of the limited finite
Where,
primary length along the x-direction,
discretizing the model for actual real REM
2
applications.
α = q [ 1 – ( µ0 σ U h ) / 2 ] ; (vi)
2
For the discretizing process, the additional
β = q [ 1 + ( µ0 σ U h ) / 2 ] ; (vii) boundary conditions which are due to the
introduction of Retro-Rotary principles and
2 2 2
γ = 2 ( q + 1 ) + j w µ0 σ h q ; (viii) operating conditions to the finite primary
length of the air-primary, between regions 3-
4 and 3-5 in the Fig. (1), are :

To derive the equations governing boundary

conditions, the interfaces at the reaction - Left side: B x4 = B x3 ;
plate-air, primary (current sheet)-air, and
back iron –reaction plate are, respectively, B y4 = (µ 5 / µ3 ) By3 ;

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- Right side : B x5 = B x3
2
By5 = [µ5 / µ3] By3 ; A (ij) = [ [ 2 A (i + 1j) + 2S1A (i – 1j) + (q S1
2
+ e) A (ij + 1) ] / 2 S1 (q + 1 ) + γ ] +
As the magnetic flux density (in teslas) B, is 2
+ [ (q S1 + β) A (ij – 1) ]
equal to the primary induced voltage V times
the magnetic vector potential A, we get, / 2 S1 (q2 + 1) + γ ; (xvi)

Bx = δ A / δy ; (xiii)
And - For the primary-air lateral boundary at
By = δ A / δx ; (xiv) the right side :

By a second order approximation of (xiii)

and (xiv), and using the computational A (i j) = [(S2 + 1) A (i + 1j) + (S2 + 1) A (i –
molecule of Fig. 3, they become, 1j)] / 2 (q2 +1) (S2 + 1) +
+ [ 2q2 A (ij + 1) + 2q2 S2 A (ij – 1) ]
Bx = [ A (i + 1j) – A (i – 1j) ] / 2k + O (k ) ;
2 / 2 (q2 + 1) (S2 + 1) ; (xvii)

2
By = [ A (ij + 1) – A (ij – 1) ] / 2h + O (h ) ;
2 2
Where k = qh, and O(k ) and O(h ) indicate
2
the order of the truncation error, of orders k - And for the primary – air lateral
2
and h , respectively. boundary at the left side :

As all boundary conditions at the interfaces

are of the Newmann type, while those at the
periphery are of the Dirichlet type, to derive
the equation at the interface, where no A (ij) = [(S2 + 1) A (i + 1j) + (S2 + 1) A (i – 1j)]
2
exiting current sheet is present, it should be / 2 (q + 1) (S1 + 1)
2 2
considered at first, that the boundary + [ 2 q S2 A (ij + 1) + 2q A (ij – 1) ]
2
conditions between regions (1) and (2) are / 2 (q + 1) (S1 + 1) ;
given by equation (xi), expressed in (xviii)
numerical form, which by eliminating the
fictitious nodes and the subscripts, becomes Where S1 = µ1 / µ6 , and S2 = µ2 / µ3 ;
at the reaction plate boundary, solved at
A(ij), so that, At the excitation boundary (at the primary
current sheet – air interface), the usual
continuity conditions may be approximated
to a first order by
A (ij) = [2 A (i + 1j) + 2 A (i – 1j) + (q2 + α) A
(ij +1) + (q2 + β ) A (ij – 1) ] / 2 (q2 + 1) + γ ;
(xv) (S2 + 1) A (ij) = S2 A3 (i + 1j) + A2 (i - 1j)
− µο q h kj ;

As this expression does not have any

Thus, the equations for the vector potential fictious nodes, it can be solved for A(ij) as
at other boundaries are:

A(ij) = [ S2 A(i + 1j) + A (i – 1j) – q h µo kj ]

- For the conducting back iron of plates: / (S2 + 1) ;
(xix)

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Where Kj is the phasor value of the current length (L) of the reaction plate, beyond the
sheet at the node (ij). entry and exit edges, and by increasing the
primary and back iron layer thickness.
The sensitivity of the finite difference
approximation to the discontinuity at the left However, in practical applications it may be
and right corner points (or interception of the difficult to meet these conditions, especially
excitation layers on the primary left and right for Retro-Rotors with thin reaction plates,
sides), can be reduced by getting the because of the very large number of nodes
average of (xix) and (xviii), and of (xix) and that should be introduced to the model.
(xvii).
This may be avoided by redefining the value
Which gives for the left corner of A(ij) as

A(i j) = [ ( [2 S2 q2 + 3 S2 + 1 ] / 2 ) A (i + 1j)
+ [( 2 q2 + S2 + 3 ) / 2 ] A (i – 1j) ]
k k k k
2
A (i j) = (1 / R ) A ( i + 1j) L θ : (xxi)
/ 2 (q + γ ) ( S2 + 1)
2 2
+ [ [ q A (ij – 1) + q S2 A (ij + 1) ] Where k is the first iteration for which
2
/ 2 (q + 1) (S2 + 1) ] A (i + 1j) is non-zero,
- 0.5 q h µo kj : (xx) k k k
R = ! A (i + 2j) ! / ! A (i + 1j) !,
k
and θ is the phase difference between A (i
th
+ 2j) and A (i + 1j) at the k iteration. In
And finally, as the values of the magnetic essence, by readjusting the contour nodes
vector potential at the contour boundaries under the influence of the neighboring ones.
shall be set equal to zero, this may be
achieved by prolonging sufficiently the
By (i j) = - [ A ( ij + 1) - A ( ij – 1) ] / 2h ;
x
The factor By ( i j ) is the complex conjugate
of By (i j), and Re indicates that the real part
is to be taken,

Equation (xxii) gives the force per unit

7. PERFORMANCE EQUATIONS volume.

To find the total force it is necessary to

The discrete point -form equations to be integrate over the entire machine volume,
applied to SLIM/REM motors of Retro-Rotor i.e.,
disk drive configuration are derived from the
Lorentz force equation in which the time- Fx = /// fx (i j) dx dy dz ;
average propulsion force density is given at
the node (i, j) by

fx (i, j) = Re [ { j 0.5 w σ A (i j) – 0.5 σ U By

x
(i j) } { By (i j)} ] ; (xxii)

Where

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After substitution the foregoing equation The repulsion force over the node (i j),
becomes expressed as a time average force density,
is given by

Fx = // Re { (j 0.5 w σ A (i j) – 0.5 σ U By (i j) }
x
{ By (i j) } dx dy ; (xxiii) Fy (i j) = Re {j 0.5 σ w A (i j) + 0.5 σ U
By (i j) }{Bxx (i j)} ;
(xxvi)
This gives the force per unit width. To find
the total force at the reaction plate, the force Where
density is integrated over the rim length of
the plate in the x-direction, and over its Bx (i j) = { A (i + 1j) – A (i – 1j) } / 2 qh ;
conducting sheet width in the y-direction.
x
And Bx is the complex conjugate of Bx (i j).
As the Ohm law for a moving media in
discrete form is This equation may be equally integrated
over the same integration limits as above,
J (i j) = - j w σ A (i j) + σ U By (i j) ; giving the repulsion force per unit width.
Therefore, the time average power loss The attraction force is approximately given
density in the reaction plate rim at node (i j) by
is

a 2
x Fy = {- By (i j) } / 2 µo ; (xxvii)
P (i j) = 0.5 Re { J (i j) J (i j) } / σ ; (xxiv)

Where By(i j) is the rim value of the magnetic

The power density flow across the air gap is flux density of the ferromagnetic material in
computed by way of the Poynting vector, the reaction plate. The net normal force
which at node (i j) is between the stator and reaction rims of the
drive will be thus the algebraic sum of (xxvi)
x
and (xxvii).
Py (i j) = 0.5 Re {- j w A (i j) Bx (i j) ]} / µo ;
(xxv)

Equation (xxiv) may be integrated over the

same integration limits as (xxiii), giving as 8. NUMMERICAL APPLICATION
result the power force (and loss) per unit
width.
FOR THE COMPUTATIONAL METHOD
(xxv) when integrated over the air gap area,
gives the total power flow per unit width, a. Numerical model.
across the air gap.
To illustrate the application of the current
In any Retro-Rotor SLIM drive, as shown by computational method to a numerical model,
idealized theory, there exits attraction and and to compare the results so obtained by
repulsion forces, normal to the reaction plate an analytical method, let’s consider a high
sheet, but of direction opposite to each speed SLIM disk drive as described by the
other. following data:

- NUMBER OF POLES 4
- FREQUENCY: 600 Hz

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- POLE PITCH 0.12 m Applying the SOR technique to the equation

- TANGENT SPEED 144 m/s (iv), the resultant equation becomes
SYNCRONOUS
- RELATIVE PERMEABILITY 2000
OF BACK IRON k+1 k k k+1
6 A ij = A ij + [ w {A i + 1j + A i – 1j +
- CONDUCTIVITY 10 mhos/m
Of REACTION PLATE RIM k k+1 k
- CURRENT SHEET
5
10 A/m αA ij + 1 + β A ij – 1 - Aij } ] / γ :
AT THE PRIMARY (xxix)
- DIMENSIONS
- PLATE MAIN RAD SIZE 0.5 m
- PLATE RIM MAIN SIZES : Thus, the new value of A (i j) is determined
(as in Fig 1), in m :
as the addition to the old value of a certain
- ee 0.12
fraction times the difference between the
- te 0.20
Gauss – Siedel iteration and the old value.
- ag 0.012
- th 0.012
- it 0.02 In (xxviii) w is called the convergence or
relaxation factor (the accelerating factor
derived as Retro-Rotary thrust). It has been
shown that the SOR solution will converge if
The plots of FIGs 4 through 7 compare the
1<w<2.
results of the data obtained both by
numerical and by analytical methods.
When complex members are involved in the
computations, w is also complex, and the
FIG 4 REPEL AND ATTRACTION FORCES VS SLIP
determination of the optimization value
FIG 5 EFFICIENCY VS SLIP
becomes difficult. It has been suggested (*)
that the optimum acceleration factor can be
FIG 6 PLOT OF ! BY ! VS X AT 10% SLIP
expressed as
FIG 7 THRUST VS SLIP

w0 = 2 / { 1 + (1 – µ 1 2 )½ } ; (xxx)

9. COMPUTATIONAL ANALYSIS where + µ 1 is the critical eigenvalue pair of

the Jacobi iteration matrix corresponding to
the dominant eigenvalue ( λ 1 ). Thus, w0 is
As stated early, the extrapolated Liebmann that value of w that minimizes the spectral
method may be used here, as a rather well radius of the SOR iteration matrix.
established approach, profiting its simple
means to accomplish the rather complex As in the practice µ 1 is unknown, it has
arithmetic calculation of the iteration been suggested that the value of λ 1 be
process. calculated during the course of the iterations
by first assuming an initial value for the
Basically, the extrapolated Liebmann (or accelerated factor greater than the unity, but
SOR) method is defined by less than the unknown optimum value (*).

The value l 1 may be thus calculated as

k k –1 k
Aij = (1 – w) Aij + w  ij ; (xxviii)
k k–1
λ1 = n / n ; (xxxi)
k th
Where Âij are the components of the k
Gauss – Saidel iteration.
Where

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difference equations. They may be

k
n =
N–1
Σ i=2 Ξ i k
identified as truncation errors, and are owe
to neglecting terms containing third or higher
making the displacement vector to be powers (as in h); to discretization errors owe
to apply to a continuous problem a discrete
model (a limited boundary to the primary
Ξk = A ij
k
- A ij
k–i
; circuit sheet); and to round-off errors always
present by keeping only certain number of
digits in the computations.

By using this idealized SLIM model, the

By using Youn’s equation µ1 can be
determination of the quantitative effects of
expressed as
said various errors may be assessed.

2 2 2 The equation describing the magnetic vector

( λ 1 + w – 1 ) = λ1 w µ s ; (xxxii) potential A in all regions of the reaction plate
(4 and 5) may be derived in closed form. It is
therefore an easy matter to compute A at
A new value of w may be thus calculated, any point within the region in question, and
and the procedure must be repeated for compute the numerical and analytical
each iteration, so that a closer value of w solutions of A for the idealized plate.
may thus be found, to an optimum degree.
Further analysis which may allow to adjust
An empirical formula derived by Carré can the discretized model to the actual values,
be used to estimate w at any stage of the and to identify other sources of error and
solution. how to deal with them, in more complex
solutions, are beyond the scope of present
The formula paper, but may be derived from known
reference sources (6), (7).

wk = w 0 - F ( 2 – w0) ; (xxxiii)
10. FINAL DESIGN PRACTICE

is only useful to obtain the real part of w.

For Retro-Rotary propulsion applications
To get the rather complex imaginary part is short primary SLIM drives shall be
has been suggested from previous research compensated by introducing a
that those values lie in the neighborhood of compensating winding. However, high at
– j 0.03 ; by using an acceleration factor of high rim speeds the air gap field is distorted,
(1.8 – j 0.04) the number of iterations reducing the advantages gained through
needed may thus be decreased to reach compensation, especially for the attenuation
convergence against a rather dynamic plate of end effects.
rim, i.e., a non static reaction plate rotating
at very high rim speed. This characteristic may be very helpful in a
machine designed to work at a variable
The convergence factor will thus determine frequency / variable voltage low to medium
the amount of energy exchange (rotational speed ranges.
into translational) at a given instant by
Retro-Rotary reaction, which net propulsive Furthermore, as the very configuration of
thrust is equivalent to the flywheel effect SLIM’s are to drive a given disk plate based
owe to it, as described by the equation (iii). on Retro-Rotary reaction principles, i.e., are
applied to an already rotating device
Some computational errors may be spinning at very high rim speeds, end effects
accumulated in the process of deriving the may actually deteriorate the build up and

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control of a given convergence factor at said

high rim speed regimes.
Prior art has shown that two SLIM drives
To compensate this the air-gap tolerance may be considered to yield identical fields
should not be a critical factor in the design of and forces, if the flux density distributions in
the machine, and the thermal expansion of the active zone, and at the entry and exit
the reaction rail of the plate should not offer zones of each one, and their current sheets
major set back to its performance. This are the same.
favors a Single Sided LIM against a Double
Sided one. This is assured by the equivalence
conditions by means of which, if the two
Furthermore, possible configurations for a SLIM drives keep the ratios of end effect
high rim speed, very high performance, forces, conventional convergence forces,
REM/SLIM drives for airspace applications, and resultant thrusts constant, both drives
if derived from present design criteria, within have the same governing equations.
a rotating plate boundary with saturated
back iron, shall achieve a carefully designed Thus, if
compromise between maximum thrust,
maximum power factor, and minimum
weight for the drive.
Fxe / Fxc = Fxeo / Fxco ;
The maximum power factor may be
achieved if the end effect is neutralized, And,
making the secondary power factor to be
Fx / Fxo = (Fxe + Fxc) / (Fxeo + Fxco) =
2 2
Cos ψ = s GR / ( H s GR ) ½ ; (xxxiv) = Fxe / F xeo = { ae / β } / { aeo / βo } ;

In which GR corresponds to the Goodness

Factor as described by E. Leithaith idealized
theory (8). then, the equivalence conditions in summary
will be :
In accordance with it, maximum thrust will
result when s GR = 1 , with a power factor
of 0.707 .
p = po
A high sGR factor will thus result in a lower
thrust but in a higher power factor. The
compromise could be reached if 1 < sGR = β a e = βo a eo (xxxv)
2.2, so that, if for instance, the slip is 7%, at
the sated 2.2 sGR, the secondary efficiency
β (b – ae) = βo (bo – aeo)
will reach 0.89 with a power factor of 0.82.

Which is a fairly good performance for any Kc = Kco

propulsor. Still some improvements may be
achieved, e.g., by winding compensation, as GL / Ks = GLo / Kso (xxxvi)
suggested early.
s = so

11. SIMMULATION β Ke g = βo Keo go (xxxvii)

OF REM/SLIM DRIVES

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0.15 m, and a total primary length of 1.5 m,

(for which the driven plate must have a
where Fxc is the conventional force (in radius span size of at least 3 m), in the
newtons); Fxe the end force (in newtons); ae equation (xxxvii) Kc = Kco may be realized to
is the equivalent half width of primary stack get
(in m); b the unequal half width of secondary
(in m); β is π / r = π / pole pitch; GL is the go = βg / β o = 1.6 cm .
optimum Goodness factor of Leithwaith; s
the slip; Ks the skin effect coefficient; Kc the
Carter coefficient; p the number of pole If the secondary thickness is d = do = 0.625
pairs; and g the actual air gap (in m). All cm, aeo = βae / β o = 5.35 cm, and to fulfill the
subscripts zero correspond to the simulated condition given in (xxxv), bo = 10.7 cm, so
SLIM. that from (xxxv) and (xxxvi)

When these conditions are fulfilled, end

effects, skin effects, and transverse edge frσ /Ks = fo ro σo / Kso (xxxviii)
effects are the same in both drives.

Thus a standardized arch or disk rotor plate, assuming Ks = Kso , which is reasonable at
as such used for the Numerical Application 7
low speeds, and choosing σo = 5.5 x 10 Ω
model of point (4), may be employed to
/ m for cooper, (xxxviii) yields fo = 180 Hz.
simulate an arch or disk airspace rated REM
drive.
In fact, as Kso > Ks , to allow for this, a
correction shall be made by a standard
If the number of poles is not changed, and
relation, which when introduced, yields a
the equivalence conditions are met by
slightly different frequency, above 180 Hz.
decreasing the air gap and the pole pitch,
and slightly increasing the frequency for the
The force in the simulated SLIM drive is
simulated SLIM, thus the air gap flux density
obviously less than that in the real machine.
distribution remains the same, and the ratio
The ratio between the thrusts for the SLIMS
of the end-effect force to the conventional
is
force remains unchanged.

On this basis, the important technical 2

characteristics of the actual SLIM drive may Fx / Fxo = ae r / aeo ro = (r / ro ) = 5.44 ;
be obtained from test from the simulated
SLIM.
Thus, a high tangent speed SLIM drive may
Of course, for a REM drive operating at rim be tested to assess end and transverse
tangent speeds exceeding 10,000 m/s, the edge effects, and propulsion forces, by
experimental assessment of the machine using a low speed (140 m/s) equivalent to a
performance is a formidable task. SLIM of high (1400 m/s) and very high
speed ones ( of over 10,000 m/s airspace
Therefore, test conditions that yield that class).
results on a low-speed machine is
fundamental. Of course, for testing airspace class SLIM
drives, parallel tests with other key
In such a simulation, the flux density components, and their interaction with the
distribution with respect to β x is very drives shall be assessed, as, e.g., the
important. magnetic bearing (airspace class) axial
supports and homopolar motors of the
For the sake of illustration, to simulate a flywheels. And all the composite materials
high speed SLIM drive with 2po = 10, and β o withstanding mechanical stresses within the
–1
= 27.3 m , corresponding to a pole pitch of

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rotating components spinning at such hyper Thus, a superior transatmospheric shuttle

fast –near burst- regimes. may be developed, as a single stage to
orbit, horizontal take-off and landing vehicle
capable to exceed cruise speeds of Mach 25
at the high atmosphere, and to reach any
outpost beneath the Earth-Moon system
with ranges reaching 200 million kilometers
or 20 hours of continuous operation.

This with conventional H-O / fuel-cell internal

combustion –or equivalent- prime movers.
12. CONCLUSION Aeronautic flight shall be powered by current
A-1 class –or better- jet engines upgraded to
eolic operational conditions, to still increase
both performance and operational costs.
Further assessments of the machine as a
propulsion device, shall be implemented, to Such a machine drive shall withstand at
take into account Retro-Rotary effects. For least 5,000 cycles of operation on such
so doing, the simulating drive shall be conditions, or a life time cycle of 15 years (of
assembled to an upgraded dynamometer to 300 operational days effective).
accomplish the test analysis.

Test results may be thereafter integrated

into a simulated test vehicle, capable of
reproducing airspace and outer space
operational regimes.

A further full-scale test vehicle must be built

and tested on real air and outer space
conditions, at first guided by telepresence. By Mario Guillermo Acosta

Thereinafter, different applications of the

system may be developed on full-scale
demonstration tests. From: Paipa, March 29, 1994
Last review: November 12, 2004
Last review:: Bogotá, August 14, 2005.
The aim is to develop a SLIM/REM space
drive exceeding a convergence factor (or Copy approval:
tangent synchronous rim speeds) of over
10,000 m/s with an arch size near 19 m.
(with a radius span of 3 m), to develop an
earth-borne transatmospheric space launch
booster.

A further development shall upgrade it to

tangent speeds exceeding 17 km/s capable
to boost a vehicle out of the solar system.

For their very configuration, such space

propulsors shall develop the stated
synchronous speeds on a continuous basis,
exceeding one million seconds of specific
impulse.

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