Development of high temperature superconductors for electric power applications
- American Superconductor Corp., Westborough, MA (United States)
The Nobel Prize-winning discovery in 1986 of a new family of superconductors that exhibited the property of no resistance at temperatures more than ten times greater than the traditional low temperature superconductors (LTS) currently used in MRI and high field magnets, made it possible to foresee a new era for the production, transmission and distribution of electrical power. Smaller, more efficient motors, generators, power cables, transformers, inductors, and superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) for power quality were applications immediately envisioned for these high temperature superconductors (HTS), promising enhanced capabilities and lower costs. Work also began on new product concepts, such as more effective fault current limiters for both transmission and distribution systems that could protect expensive hardware and avoid the cost of upgrading circuit breakers as system capacity is increased. The interest of industry and utilities has been increased by successful demonstrations of small-scale prototypes. Recent demonstrations include a one meter conductor for an underground transmission cable produced by American Superconductor which carried over 4,200 amps, a 5 hp synchronous motor produced by Reliance Electric Company, magnet systems which generated over 2 Tesla at temperatures over 20 Kelvin (K) by both American Superconductor Corporation (ASC) and Sumitomo Electric Industries. The Department of Energy, under the Superconductivity Partnership Initiative Program (SPI), recently funded four application development projects: a 100 hp HTS motor demonstration, design of a generator rotor, a fault current limiter for distribution systems, and a 30 meter HTS power transmission cable. This paper will review the progress in application development of HTS products. The specific benefits and costs associated with this technology in power applications will be examined.
- OSTI ID:
- 94154
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950414-; TRN: IM9538%%127
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 57. annual American power conference, Chicago, IL (United States), 18-20 Apr 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the American Power Conference: Volume 57-I; PB: 874 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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