HTS Cable Clocking for Coil Orientation and AC Loss Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
High temperature superconducting (HTS) cables suffer from reduced current carrying capacity when a background magnetic field impinges at an angle other than parallel to the longitudinal axis, leading to increased costs, weight, and cross-sectional area in devices like SMES and MRI due to anisotropic behavior of HTS materials.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a 'clocking' feature in the superconducting cable that identifies the angular position of stacked superconducting tapes relative to the background magnetic field, allowing for optimal orientation of coils to maximize current carrying capacity by aligning magnetic fields parallel to the tape faces, thereby reducing hysteretic losses and magnetization currents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If HTS cables are used without clocking features, then the device structure is simpler and manufacturing is easier, but the current carrying capacity decreases when magnetic field impinges at angles other than parallel to the longitudinal axis
Solution Approach 1:
The clocking features (visual markers, grooves, or protrusions) are incorporated into the HTS cable construction during manufacturing, establishing the angular orientation reference before the cable is installed in the device. This preliminary action ensures that during assembly, the cable can be quickly and accurately oriented to align with the magnetic field direction, maximizing current carrying capacity without requiring complex real-time adjustment mechanisms during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The clocking features provide localized angular orientation information at specific positions along the cable, enabling precise alignment of the cable's longitudinal axis with the magnetic field direction. This local quality enhancement allows the cable to maintain optimal performance characteristics in the critical region where magnetic field interaction occurs, without requiring the entire cable structure to be complex.
2Reliability
If more superconducting material is used to compensate for angular misalignment, then current carrying capacity is maintained, but cost, weight, and cross-sectional area increase
Solution Approach 1:
By incorporating clocking features during cable manufacturing, the system establishes proper angular orientation before installation, ensuring that the cable operates at optimal current carrying capacity with the minimum necessary superconducting material. This eliminates the need to over-engineer the cable with excess material to compensate for potential misalignment, thereby reducing weight while maintaining reliability.
3Loss of energy
If coils are not optimally oriented relative to the magnetic field, then device assembly is simpler, but AC losses increase due to hysteretic losses and magnetization currents
Solution Approach 1:
The clocking features include visual markers such as colored bands, painted stripes, or differently colored sections on the cable insulation or jacketing. These color-coded indicators provide an immediate visual cue to operators during assembly, allowing them to quickly identify and align the cable's angular orientation without requiring complex measurement tools or procedures, thereby reducing AC losses while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The clocking features are pre-established during cable manufacturing, providing the angular orientation reference in advance. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex real-time alignment procedures during device assembly, reducing both AC losses from misalignment and the operational complexity of achieving proper coil orientation.
4Quantity of substance
If the amount of superconducting material is reduced to lower cost, then device cost decreases, but current carrying capacity becomes more sensitive to magnetic field angle
Solution Approach 1:
By incorporating clocking features during cable manufacturing, the system ensures that reduced amounts of superconducting material are used efficiently and effectively. The pre-established angular orientation references guarantee that the cable is installed at the optimal angle, maximizing the current carrying capacity of the reduced material quantity and maintaining reliability despite using less superconducting material.
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 clocking feature enhances the current carrying capacity of HTS cables, reduces AC losses, and minimizes the amount of superconducting material required, leading to cost savings, reduced weight, and smaller device sizes for applications like SMES, MRI, and other magnetic devices.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic field from surrounding coils impinge upon a given coil at a desired angle, based upon an orientation of the clocking feature
Implementation Method 2
when the background magnetic field is parallel (or less than 6 to 8°) to the 'plane face' of the HTS conductor, the current carrying capacity is significantly less degraded and remains quite high
Data Source
AI summary
A method of coiling a superconducting cable, where the superconducting cable is comprised of a plurality of stacked superconducting tapes, where the superconducting cable has a clocking feature that identifies an orientation of the superconducting tapes, the method comprising the step of orienting coils of the superconducting cable, such that a magnetic field from surrounding coils impinge upon a given coil at a desired angle, based upon an orientation of the clocking feature.