I am a mechanic at a company that regularly rebuilds 9,000-15,000 HP 13,800 Volt motors. The bigger they get, the simpler they get. The difference is assembling them with cranes and massive hydrodynamic bearings.

@flomojo2u

2 жыл бұрын

What size is the wire in the windings? It always blows me away when you see motors running at many KV.

@burnitinholyfire781

2 жыл бұрын

@@flomojo2u motors that big use rectangular wire that's insulated and stacked into the form of the core slot and insulated together into what we call a form coil. The wire size varries based on the need and required number of turns which is usually dictated by the speed and expected torque.

@stupidsnek

2 жыл бұрын

How can I get into that

@burnitinholyfire781

2 жыл бұрын

@@stupidsnek you will need to be near someplace that values and has heavy industry. You will need to be near refineries, powerplants, mines, metal refiners and processors, chemical plants, and general manufacturing. There you will find shops that rebuild just about every motor, gearbox, hoist, or pump. You will need to have common sense, be able to learn quick, and be willing to do dirty, manual labor. Most places are willing to teach someone willing and able to learn. You have to be able to put yourself out there and talk to people older than yourself in a casual but respectful manner. Most importantly, you have to have a thick skin. Feelings and offense will only be cared about by someone carrying a clipboard or wearing a tie. There aren't many of us out there and we need our ranks replenished as many are retiring.

@burnitinholyfire781

2 жыл бұрын

@@stupidsnek someplace you could start is checking out a company called IPS (Integrated Power Services). They have several facilities across the east and Midwestern United States. They are a big outfit and competitor to my company but they offer good benefits, free schooling, competitive pay. Fill out an application, make a phone call, and don't take no for an answer.

I worked for a gas pipeline company that had several compressor stations that were powered by electric motors. These motors started at 2,000 hp and the largest had a nameplate capacity of 15,000 hp. The largest ones were tested for maximum continuous output which varied from about 17,500 hp to 18,000 hp. These motors and the compressor stations were built initially in the early 1950's and were expanded over the years.

@Hyperious_in_the_air

2 жыл бұрын

yup, this. I worked in one of the largest refineries on the west coast, and we used motors about as big as the NASA one to drive compressors for CH4 that'd move several million cubic feet per minute.

@paulmiller6277

2 жыл бұрын

What do you use a 18,000 hp compressor for?

@Hyperious_in_the_air

2 жыл бұрын

@@paulmiller6277 compression of byproduct ch4 to use in a hydrogen catalyst cracker. We take the hydrogen from the CH4 at several hundred psi and pump it back into the bottom of the cracking stack to break apart the longer lipid chain molecules down into gasoline and Diesel.

@ububububububububub1667

2 жыл бұрын

@@Hyperious_in_the_air cool!

@letsburn00

2 жыл бұрын

I work in Oil and Gas and we pretty regularly use 20MW helper motors. This is built on top of a 80MW gas turbines.

The US "standard type" battleships of WW1 vintage used turbo-electric propulsion. In this case steam turbines provided the power to spin generators and the electricity was in turn used to drive electric motors which turned the propellers. This was done to compartmentalize the ships and avoid having long drive shafts commonly needed when connecting the turbines to the propellers. The downside being added complexity and weight when compared to direct turbine drive or geared turbines. The "standards" only had to reach around 20 knots.

@michaelmoorrees3585

2 жыл бұрын

21 knots. Also around 25,000 to 30,000 HP. I wished one of those were preserved as museum ship. The impressive part is that they were built during WW1, with the Colorados, the last ones, built in the early 20's while the Washington Naval treaty was being negotiated.

@TheShrike616

2 жыл бұрын

Electric engines are idd far from novel. As it was the first wheel powered car to reach 100 km/h was an electrical powered one... in 1900.

@dundonrl

2 жыл бұрын

So did the Lexington and Saratoga.

@awesomeferret

2 жыл бұрын

This is just like the old ferries in Washington State. "Diesel electric" in this context simply means "diesel generator powering electric motors". Those ferries are currently in the very early stages of being replaced, but even the oldest ones are diesel electric.

@Digi20

2 жыл бұрын

diesel electric is also often used in high torque applications like trains and heavy mining equipment. it is much easier and lighter to bolt an electric motor more or less directly to the drive shaft and feed it with power generated by a combustion engine, than building a gigantic heavy complex multi gear transmission for that engine. also, the engine can more often run in its optimal work load and rotation speed.

I work as an engineer with large AC motors for one of the companies mentioned in your video and although being somewhat clued in on the subject matter, I was nevertheless very entertained and certainly educated. Very good job on this video. Electric is the way of the future

@hollander133

2 жыл бұрын

I had the same feel when watching the video. And I'm a Field Service engineer for an electric motor/generator repair company.

@allgrainbrewer10

2 жыл бұрын

It is, but where do you get the electricity from?

@hollander133

2 жыл бұрын

@@allgrainbrewer10 Usually generators producing the electrcity are bigger than the motors. I know that a normal sized coal power plant is about 1000 kW.

@billynomates920

2 жыл бұрын

it is a good video!

@sleepyrasta14820

2 жыл бұрын

No it isn't not for cars anyway. It's hydrogen. You can never charge a battery as fast as you can fill up a fuel tank.

One of the really nice things about electric motors is how easy it is to scale them up or down compared to internal combustion engines.

@ronbradshaw7404

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah and the moving parts count, generaly totals to: ONE... :)

@samuellourenco1050

2 жыл бұрын

The only "impediment" is that, the smaller the motor, the more inefficient it is. Conversely, large motors can reach efficiencies of 90% or more.

@samsonsoturian6013

2 жыл бұрын

I never thought of that, but combustion speed would be a problem with a 10000 litre cylinder....

@Speeder84XL

2 жыл бұрын

@@samuellourenco1050 It probably has more to do with how most motors are used and which type of motor. Small motors are often used at very heavy load compared to their size, because even if the efficiency drops, they don't overheat (due to the total input power to them being so low). But the bigger motors running at higher power, need to run at lower load relative to their size (where they are more efficient) to avoid overheating. Small brushed DC motors are also quite inefficient even at low loads, because the rotor usually have relatively high internal friction. But small brushless ones, can probably be quite good.

The most powerful motors I know of that aren't purely used as alternators are in the transport grid industry. We have two hydrogen-cooled 200MVA synchronous condenser at one major transport station, that's about about 268,000HP. They are asynchronous motors used to do variable power factor correction.

@DickCheneyXX

2 жыл бұрын

@@paddor The power grid.

@larslindgren3846

2 жыл бұрын

They are not really motors, they don't drive anything mechanical. So if you don't count generators you should not count these either. They are just generators for reaktiv power.

@syx3s

2 жыл бұрын

that is VERY interesting. i knew they existed but i didn't know what they are called. not really a motor or a generator in common parlance but i'd be interested in watching an entire video just on what they are and what they do.

@syx3s

2 жыл бұрын

@@larslindgren3846 they are connected directly into the power grid ---> directly into all of the rotating generators in that grid. they provide a mechanical balance to keep the grid on speed. giant motors that are powerful enough to keep the entire grid from lagging or over speeding.

@syx3s

2 жыл бұрын

@@larslindgren3846 apologies, i'm sure you know what they are. i just get annoyed when i hear that there is somehow a difference between a generator and a motor. they can be designed to do both at will very efficiently. something that can speed up the entire electrical grid sounds like a motor to me.

Great video. I used to work in nuclear power, and I thought the 4,000 hp reactor coolant pump motors were huge. Some impressive stuff here!

@Capthrax1

2 жыл бұрын

4,000 hp!? is that for one reactor? how much rated output is the reactor1gw?

@jamallabarge2665

2 жыл бұрын

You probably had multiple pumps?

@Genius_at_Work

Жыл бұрын

@@jamallabarge2665 Can't speak for Nuclear Reactors, but on Ships, we always have one Pump more than we need. I worked on Ships with three Cooling Water Pumps, so each of them has 50% of the required Power, and on Ships with only two Pumps so one Pump alone could provide the required Cooling Water Flow. I'd guess that Nuclear Reactors have at least double or perhaps even triple Redundancy, aka two or even three Backup Pumps.

@joshuaholmes468

Жыл бұрын

What was the type of plant you ran, the ones in my ain’t that big

@md4luckycharms

Жыл бұрын

@@Capthrax1 in our local plant there are 7 per reactor, rated output around 800mw

Brilliant as usual Mr Shillito. Who doesn't love a big motor, and the sound!

@jamjardj1974

2 жыл бұрын

Not as loud as that amazing shirt.

@richardconway6425

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I was gonna say, what about that shirt!!

@lindaseel9986

Жыл бұрын

That shirt is so loud, it's calling Austin Powers. 😄😄

As an apprentice many years ago, I had the privilege of a walk around of the Blooming Mill Motor at British Steel Corporation Ebbw Vale. I could walk through the stator on tip toes with my arms held out straight above my head and still touch it. It was a 220V DC motor. It had to reach maximum torque in 4 or 5 revolutions and stop dead then reverse. It had a 70 ton flywheel on the shaft. Current was converted by 6 Frankenstein size Mercury arc rectifiers which were amazing to see in operation, each being over 6 feet tall. I have literature somewhere, but from memory the motor was rated at 75,000hp. We had our own generating station, to help reduce load on the grid when it was in operation. Consuming MW/week. I've never seen a bigger motor since.

That shirt is a belter Paul, real power!!

@cyankirkpatrick5194

2 жыл бұрын

What with the shirt? It's his style

5:42 😂😂 Kilogram, Horse Power, pound-feet, what a carnival of measurement systems!

I remember when working in the mining technology industry back in the 2010s, we used ring motors rated at up to something like 25 MW, typically produced by Siemens. These were used in grinding mill applications where dual pinion drive was more expensive or not at all available. The grinding mill itself basically worked as a hollow shaft in the motor assembly, and was around 8-10 meters in diameter. Now i work in the hydropower industry, and over here we have a couple of 160 MW pump turbines, which is pretty insane. Electric motors are awesome.

I am SO thrilled to see another Curious Droid video! I've always loved your content and presentation style...I could listen to your videos all day! Fascinating and educational. Well done!

@stevenclark7900

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed, Paul is a super presenter.

Some advice: don't ever change. Your videos are so epic and absolutely perfect; never change, avoid the temptation to become meta (contests, social over-engagement, etc.). Your channel is absolutely phenomenal.

I know the folks at NASA's NTF well, tested there a number of times but I never realized that it had the biggest motor in the world generating the wind for me. This info was probably in a facility briefing but went over my head at the time. As a side note, though I've recently retired, my team was / is collaborating with NASA to test another type of "motor" for remotely actuated control surfaces... shape memory alloy (SMA) torque tubes of nickel titanium hafnium (NiTiHf). Super small, super high torque. They need to be to fit into these small models and work at such high loads.

@Embassy_of_Jupiter

2 жыл бұрын

So... like a metal muscle?

@Shrek_Has_Covid19

2 жыл бұрын

NASA NFT

@metallicamadsam

2 жыл бұрын

you should collab with curious droid about your experiences and the future of such technologies

@volofly2011

2 жыл бұрын

@@Embassy_of_Jupiter Yes, something like that. Solid state, when heated the material goes through an internal crystalline aliment change that is reversible when cooled and can be "trained" to repeatedly change back and forth with temperature change. It's very cool stuff. This material can also be designed to change shape with ambient temperature changes and not just torque tubes, all kinds of shapes and shape changes are possible.

@volofly2011

2 жыл бұрын

@@Shrek_Has_Covid19 NASA NTF or National Transonic Facility, as in, the cyrogenic research wind tunnel at NASA Langley in Hampton, VA.

The shirt is the world's most powerful eye magnet. :)

I always enjoy my time watching Paul educate us on technology. Thanks Paul.

Great topic!

Love it when Paul totally geeks out. I learned much from this video. Thanks!

i think you should have talked more on those generators/motors used in water dams to pump water uphill. even though they're not dedicated motors, they're still incredibly powerful and it'd be interesting to see what they look like.

@awesomeferret

2 жыл бұрын

If you want videos like that, check OUT Practical Engineering. Yeah, I don't like promoting channels that big, but still, it's very relevant to your wish.

Congratulations on the 1Million subscribers! You deserve it!

Electric motors have always been a passion. Very well done research here.. That 110 MW motor for NASA is just unbelievable. Draws 1/8th the output of a nuclear generation station to run... Crazy!

Fantastic work Paul I really enjoy learning from your work !

Stellar video! As always, Paul! Good to have you back! 🙂

Your videos help me battle my depression. Thank you.

I really appreciate and enjoy the explanation of these instead of just a list!

kinda sad you excluded the pumped hydro pump/generator combos. in my mind they would qualify.

Fabulous, thank you Paul!!

This is really, really good. Thank you so much for this breath taking tour among these super motors ! Must have taken lots and lots of hours of research. 👏👏👏

Wonderful as always. Thank you Mr Shillito.

Any day Curious Droid releases a new video is a good day!

I've been looking for a video on this topic for years! thank you

Thanks again for another fantastic video paul 👍 😀

I love Paul giving such a serious presentation while wearing such an outrageous shirt, kudos to you, sir

Always curious. Thank you.

Very good! I've worked on the motor generators that you've mentioned for Castaic lake peaking plant! Thank you!

Informative and entertaining as always sir, also glad to see you seem to have fully recovered from your surgery earlier in the year. Love your shirts by the way.

Great stuff, thank you for making this.

Always interesting Thanks

Great great teaching quality! My compliments and my thanks for such a comprehensive presentation

It brings me great joy to see you've made another video. I hope you're doing well!

another very informative and well done video... thank you sir!

Great job! Love your videos. Keep it up!

Wonderful info and excellent presentation . Thank you .

I deeply appreciate this sort of content - I've had massive electric motors on my mind for the past few weeks for no apparent reason. Doesn't help that in the slightest!

Love to see you are back your channel is a source of great content

Again, gret insight and information, though the numbers were flying there for a bit. Thank you, Paul!

Excellent. Thank you.

Amazing content. Curious Droid is one of the very few channels where I click on every new video they post. Well done Droid!

Nice to see you back 👍

Fascinating thanks

Love these. Thanks, CD!

Excellent video. Thank you!

Thanks Paul, I always have been fascinated by electric motors.

Fascinating stuff. Thanks for sharing.👍

Great stuff - thanks

Another fascinating presentation!

Amazing as always dude.

Great video..thankyou sir...

OMG thank you Paul I been worried not seeing your videos.. thank G-D you’re back

When Curious Droid releases a video I hit like first then watch it. always great content.

You know it's a good day when Paul & the team are back to a regular upload schedule. 😎👍

Thanks for your sharing

Really enjoy ur videos allways a good watch 👍

Excellent piece !

Wonderful video. Thanks you for everything you do Paul. I love your voice, I go to sleep to it ! Stay well Brother.

Happy to see you back

Great video... thanks

I smile every time you pronounciate "Wärtsilä" as Wart-Zilla :) Sounds like a monster, which it is. Thanks for this episode. Always worth the time to watch your videos Paul.

Great stuff Paul!

Wahey! I live not far from the Grampian transport Museum. Fantastic place, highly recommended. Nice to see it get a shout out in the credits. Fascinating as always.

I used to work with a couple of megaWatt size electric motors on an oil refinery. We had some centrifugal compressors around 2000 kW, and an extruder that could draw up to 5,500 kW.

As usual great idea and video. 👍🏻 Good to see you back! I hope all is well. Great presentation!

The California Water Project has 10,000 HP motors to pump the aqueduct water up and out of the Central Valley to head farther south. I was amazed that there are motors significantly larger!

This was a fantastic episode!

That was brilliant..as a retired electrical engineer I found it truly fascinating.. thanks for sharing your knowledge..kind regards Dave 😁👍👍👍

Yay, my favourite weird fact narrator is here! Good health to you, Paul!

Wood pulp refiner and old woog log grinders did not had motor that large, but they were still in the 10 000 HP range and big. I worked around a couples of those back when I was a paper factory worker. they were always always impressive. the one on the grinder were originally built in the 40s ( and rebuld and upgraded over time, there were like giant wheels).

Amazing essay 👍🏿

glad to see you back at it! fuerza!

I think the mining industry uses some pretty big motors for fans and whatnot. The biggest I've seen is 5MW, it was direct-online starting so soiled underwear for anyone nearby when it starts up

@CallanElliott

2 жыл бұрын

What's terrifying about direct-online start up?

@Randomguy-wd5lw

2 жыл бұрын

@@CallanElliott With direct-Online the whole mechanism will try to go to speed instantly, so its like a mini earthquake with the vibrations and the sounds.

@CallanElliott

2 жыл бұрын

@@Randomguy-wd5lw Fair enough, I imagine that such a huge device violently jolting into life is an exhilarating experience.

it is 2am and i cant sleep. so watching this program with a glass of viognier and fully satisfied

It never fails to amaze me what engineering is capable of nowadays. Not that the big players aren't impressive enough but the small ones certainly are! An engine no bigger than it could fit in a handbag that delivers 300 Hp is what I call impressive engineering. I bet we will see even smaller ones in the future with far more power and amazing torque numbers.

@TucsonDude

Жыл бұрын

Dispite their relatively small size, motors are not a standalone component in a drivetrain. They all still require a generator (either onboard or at a power station). So, you'll have to add a few more handbags to carry it all in.

I've done work at the NASA Langley facility on that tunnel. That motor is indeed, absolutely insane.

Hope your health is good, love the content thank you!

Great video as usual. I would like to have seen an extra minute or two describing reluctance and how it differs from inductance.

Interesting topic

One reason why electric aviation isn't likely anytime soon....it would take two x 100,000 hp electric motor to replace the jet engines on a Boeing 777.

@mikester1290

2 жыл бұрын

And the batteries are just as heavy when you land as when you took off.

@oisiaa

2 жыл бұрын

@@mikester1290 Yep. A big jet like a 777 typically can be nearly 50% fuel by weight at takeoff and 5% fuel by weight at landing. Planes get much more efficient as they burn off fuel weight. Not to mention you need to lug around much heavier landing gear to deal with the very heavy landings.

@oisiaa

2 жыл бұрын

@@mikester1290 I think with the very best technology we have today, you MIGHT be able to make a 737 sized aircraft that could fly for maybe 45 minutes.

@44R0Ndin

2 жыл бұрын

IMO the best bet is to keep jet airliners as they are and switch to synthetic fuel created by carbon-capture of CO2 from the atmosphere and/or combustion power plant exhausts. Might work better if we switch to using liquid methane for the fuel in that application tho, as it's a lot easier to synthesize methane than it is to do jet fuel (but you can use methane as the feedstock to synthesize jet fuel, the problem is more one of energy input than of possibility).

@oisiaa

2 жыл бұрын

@@44R0Ndin I agree. Liquid methane requires cryogenic temperatures or high pressure. Biofuel or some other synthetic is almost certainly the way to go....something carbon neutral.

awesome video!

Thank you

All of KZread should be like this. Heck the whole INTERNET should be like this

Thank You

Good stuff (again)!

Wow, I drove by that Nasa motor for years and never knew it was there.

Excelent, as usual.

Great vid 👌

Congratulations on 1 million subs!

Over a Million Subs now! Hey Paul! WoW!

Love the content, as always! One correction, I believe the CVN-78, the Gerald R Ford, is the first of its class and also the first to replace the current in service Nimitz class. The Gerald R Ford is the new class of carriers in the USN. Cheers.

Great content. I look forward to your segment on the world's most powerful shirts 😊.