Superconducting Transformer Coil Former With Grooved Winding Body

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Solution Overview

Problem

Superconducting windings in current-limiting transformers are prone to mechanical damage during short circuits due to radial expansion, leading to complex repairs or expensive replacements, as existing stabilization solutions fail to adequately secure the wires.

Innovation Solution

A winding body with a hollow-cylindrical shape featuring multiple circumferential indentations and grooves that accommodate the superconducting conductor, allowing it to expand into depressions and prevent uncontrolled bulging, while maintaining a minimum bending radius to avoid damage, and can be made from durable materials like glass fiber reinforced plastic.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the superconducting winding is secured in a conventional manner, then the structure is simple, but the winding cannot be adequately stabilized and conductors can jump out during short circuits

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestabilization of superconducting windingVSAvoidstructure of winding body
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The winding body is divided into multiple segments arranged in a circle, each segment having groove-shaped guide sections. This segmentation allows the winding body to provide stable guidance for superconducting conductors while maintaining a manageable structure that can be assembled and manufactured more easily than a monolithic design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The groove-shaped guide sections act as intermediary structures between the winding body and the superconducting conductors. These grooves provide a mechanical interface that stabilizes the conductors during normal operation and prevents them from jumping out during short circuits, while the guide elements can be designed to accommodate thermal expansion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If guide elements with groove-shaped sections are used to stabilize the winding, then the structure becomes more complex, but the conductors can be adequately stabilized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestabilization of superconducting windingVSAvoidstructure of winding body
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The groove-shaped guide sections serve multiple functions: they provide mechanical guidance for the superconducting conductors during normal operation, stabilize the winding structure, and accommodate thermal expansion during short circuits. By combining these functions into a single structural element, the design achieves reliable stabilization without proportionally increasing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide elements have groove-shaped sections at specific locations where conductors need guidance and stabilization, while other portions of the winding body maintain simpler structures. This localized application of complexity only where needed allows adequate stabilization without making the entire structure unnecessarily complex.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If the superconducting conductor is tightly constrained to prevent expansion, then structural integrity is maintained, but the conductor cannot accommodate thermal expansion during short circuits

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrity of windingVSAvoidthermal expansion damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The groove-shaped guide sections are designed with dimensions and configurations that anticipate thermal expansion during short circuits. The grooves provide sufficient clearance and guidance to accommodate the expansion of superconducting conductors before damage can occur, effectively cushioning against the harmful effects of thermal expansion in advance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The design accounts for parameter changes in the superconducting conductors during short circuits, specifically thermal expansion. The groove-shaped guide sections are dimensioned to allow for these parameter changes while maintaining structural integrity, enabling the system to adapt to the changing physical state of the conductors during fault conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively stabilizes the superconducting winding, preventing mechanical damage during short circuits by allowing controlled expansion and maintaining structural integrity, enabling multiple uses and simplifying production.

Implementation Method 1

the conductors of the superconducting secondary winding expand. Due to the nature of the winding, this expansion takes place in the radial direction, so that in the event of a short circuit, the superconducting winding bulges radially at some points

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Implementation Method 2

A cooling bath with liquid nitrogen is provided in a cryostat arranged inside the transformer to cool the superconducting winding(s)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCooling: Cooling

Implementation Method 3

The principle of the superconducting current-limiting transformer is based on the targeted heating of the superconducting material in the winding(s), for example in the event of a short circuit in the power grid. As the superconductor heats up, the electrical resistance increases sharply

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3341945B1Transformer, coil former for said transformer, and method for producing a coil former
Publication Date: 2019.07.24 KARLSRUHER INST FUR TECH
  • EP3341945B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3341945B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3341945B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention provides a superconducting current-limiting transformer, a coil former (10) for said transformer, and a method for producing a coil former (10) of this kind. The coil former (10) according to the invention for a superconducting secondary winding for the superconducting current-limiting transformer has a hollow-cylindrical basic shape. According to the invention, the coil former (10) has a large number of recesses (12) and partial casing pieces (11) distributed over its circumference in the longitudinal direction. In this case, a superconducting conductor (4a, 15) of the secondary winding can be wound around the coil former (10) in a normal state such that the conductor can be applied to the partial casing pieces (11) and a gap can be formed between the conductor and the recesses (12).