Superconducting Cable Redundancy With Spare Phase Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
3-phase superconducting cable systems face operational disruptions due to damage, as repairs are time-consuming or impossible, requiring entire system shutdown when any conductor or cryogenic envelope is compromised.
Innovation Solution
A 3-phase superconducting cable system comprising four 1-phase cables with interrupting and connecting switches, shut-off valves, and a coolant routing system allows for selective disconnection and rerouting of coolant, enabling continued operation by replacing damaged cables and maintaining low temperatures asymmetrically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a 3-phase superconducting cable system uses three 1-phase cables, then the system structure is simple and cost-effective, but the entire system must be shut down when any conductor or cryogenic envelope is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the 3-phase cable into four separate 1-phase cables (three active phases plus one spare), allowing independent operation and replacement of individual cables without affecting the entire system
Solution Approach 2:
A fourth spare 1-phase cable is pre-installed and configured with switching mechanisms before any damage occurs, enabling immediate replacement of damaged cables without system shutdown
2Productivity
If repair time is reduced to minimize downtime, then productivity is improved, but repair complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spare cable and switching mechanisms are pre-configured during installation, so that when damage occurs, the replacement process becomes a simple switching operation rather than a complex repair procedure
Solution Approach 2:
Switching mechanisms act as intermediaries between the active cables and the spare cable, automating the replacement process and reducing manual intervention requirements
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
Enables uninterrupted operation of the superconducting cable system by allowing the replacement of damaged cables and maintaining cryogenic conditions, ensuring continuous functionality and reducing downtime for repairs.
Implementation Method 1
The electrical conductors of both low-temperature and high temperature superconductive cable systems must be cooled during operation in order to establish and maintain their desired superconducting properties
Implementation Method 2
Low-temperature superconductors, typically metallic superconductors, may need to be cooled down to very low temperatures as low as 4 Kelvin or below to become superconducting, which can be achieved, e.g., by using liquid Helium as coolant. High temperature superconductors, typically ceramic superconductors, may need to be cooled down less deep, typically down to temperatures of 77 Kelvin and above, which can be achieved, e.g., using liquid Nitrogen (LN2) as coolant
Data Source
AI summary
A 3-phase superconducting cable system (100) has four 1-phase superconducting cables (A, B, C, D). Interrupting switches (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6) are arranged at respective first and second ends of a first (A), second (B) and third (C) of the 1-phase superconducting cables, and first connecting switches (S7, S9, S11) and second connecting switches (S8, S10, S12) are connected at a first and a second end, respectively, of the fourth (D) 1-phase superconducting cable. The interrupting switches (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6) and the first (S7, S9, S11) and second (S8, S10, S12) connecting switches are operable to selectively disconnect one of the first (A), second (B) and third (C) one of the 1-phase superconducting cables from their respective current phase (L1, L2, L3) and to connect the fourth (D) 1-phase superconducting cable to the previously disconnected current phase (L1, L2, L3), effectively replacing the disconnected 1-phase superconducting cable.