Electromagnetic coil accelerator work, supported by the Department of Defense, 1986 to 1994, has resulted in the development of a multi-section linear induction launcher. This has attained wide recognition: in the US , England , Russia , and France : those places where related studies have been done. Lately, it is unfortunately true that the level of praise has not been matched by the level of support, which will soon be terminated by the de-emphasis on defense-related projects. (An evaluation study of non-US electromagnetic R&D was recently completed for SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation of McLean , VA ). A current unfunded joint effort with the US Army Benét Laboratory in Watervliet , NY , involves the construction of a hybrid gas/electric gun, where a launcher, to be mounted at the muzzle end of a “conventional” cannon, is to be used to further accelerate the emerging shell.

A study concerned with the generation of unwanted harmonics in power systems, resulting from the proliferation of non-linear loads, has been financially supported by KeySpan (called LILCO -- Long Island Lighting Company), 1992 to 1995, as well as by ESEERCO (Empire State Energy Research and Development Agency), ERDA ( New York State Energy Research and Development Agency). Consolidated Edison of New York is a strong participant, offering in-kind help, and open-handed availability of information from their systems.

A new simple ac/dc static power supply that provides a smooth dc output while presenting a linear load impedance to the utility (a clear sine-wave at near-unity power factor) was awarded a research grant by KeySpan Energy (LILCO), 1994 to 1998.

For Consolidated Edison of NYC, a cold-start simulation model was developed, which, since its completion, has been continuously in use by the company. Confidence in this model was obtained during a severe outage in midtown Manhattan , where the utility was able to restore power, using the model, days earlier than had been publicly announced, under conditions of great political pressure. This study was funded from 1980-1984, and the model has been adapted by PTI (Power Technologies Inc.) for their load-flow program. From 1987-1988, the utility funded the development of a dead feeder detector for possible field use. Without question, the helpfulness now exhibited by Consolidated Edison in our present harmonic study, and their donation of money toward our newly-refurbished machinery laboratory, is based on the help that the utility obtained in the past from the Polytechnic.

For the FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) of the US Department of Transportation, studies on linear propulsion, levitation and guidance systems were supported from 1973-1980. In a joint venture with the General Electric Company (GE) , a linear synchronous motor intended to power a train was designed by the Polytechnic, and a full scale unit was built by GE as a large-diameter rotating wheel, which was successfully tested at Schenectady , NY .

For Ebasco, primary contractor for the Princeton Tokomak (a thermonuclear fusion test reactor), the group participated in the development of the 1.2 GW pulsed-power supply. The original design concept that emerged resulted in quite substantial savings in its construction; perhaps millions of dollars. This took place 1976-1979.

For the US Department of Energy (DOE), Prof. Levi (on leave) served as full-time Senior Technical Advisor to the MHD division, where he was in charge of power conditioning, for two years, from 1976-1978. Work by the Group on power take-off in MHD generators, supported by the DOE from 1979-1983 , resulted in the invention of a pulse-width-modulated power consolidation scheme for Faraday and diagonal channels.

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