Superconducting Wire Mechanical Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Superconducting wires used in cables are prone to breaking under tension or torsion stress during coiling and installation, leading to durability and electrical property issues, with high costs associated with these fragile wires.
Innovation Solution
A superconducting wire with a width of 0.4 mm to 0.5 mm and thickness of 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm, made of YBCO or ReBCO materials, is designed to maintain a critical current of 150 A to 500 A at 77 K, with enhanced mechanical rigidity through current-carrying layers, allowing for 95% or more critical current retention under bending, tensile, and torsion stresses, and immersion in liquid nitrogen without ballooning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If superconducting wires with thickness of only about 0.1 mm are used, then the cost of superconducting wires is reduced, but the wires are prone to breaking under tension or torsion stress during coiling and installation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of a superconducting layer (YBCO or ReBCO) deposited on a flexible substrate (such as Hastelloy or nickel-tungsten alloy). This composite design allows the thin superconducting layer to maintain its low-cost advantage while the substrate provides the necessary mechanical strength and flexibility to withstand tension and torsion stresses during coiling and installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs thin film technology to deposit the superconducting layer on a flexible substrate. The substrate acts as a flexible carrier that protects the thin superconducting film from mechanical damage while allowing the wire to be coiled and installed without breaking. This approach enables the use of very thin superconducting layers (0.1 mm or less) without compromising mechanical durability.
2Ease of manufacture
If superconducting wires are coiled around a drum or spirally wound around a former, then the superconducting cable can be manufactured and installed, but continuous tension or torsion stress causes the thin superconducting wires to break
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible substrate serves as a protective carrier that enables the superconducting wire to be coiled around drums and wound around formers during manufacturing and installation. The substrate's flexibility allows these deformation processes while its mechanical strength prevents the thin superconducting layer from breaking under the resulting tension and torsion stresses.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate provides beforehand cushioning by absorbing and distributing the mechanical stresses (tension and torsion) that occur during coiling and winding operations. This protective layer prevents direct stress transmission to the fragile superconducting layer, ensuring durability throughout the manufacturing and installation processes.
3Reliability
If the critical current retention under stress is increased to 95% or more, then the electrical properties and durability are improved, but the mechanical rigidity requirements become more stringent
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure of superconducting layer on substrate provides both the electrical functionality and mechanical strength needed to achieve 95% or more critical current retention under stress. The substrate's mechanical rigidity protects the superconducting layer from deformation that would reduce critical current, while the thin-film design maintains flexibility for installation.
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 enhanced mechanical rigidity and electrical properties ensure the superconducting wire's durability and prevent short circuits, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining high electrical performance under stress conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A superconducting wire has an electric resistance converging close to zero at a certain temperature and thus has high power transfer capability even at a low voltage
Implementation Method 2
A critical current when bending stress is applied to the superconducting wire using two rollers each having a diameter of 35 mm after the superconducting wire is sequentially bent in different directions may be greater than or equal to 95% of the critical current DC Ic
Implementation Method 3
a critical current when the superconducting wire is immersed for 16 hours in liquid nitrogen having an internal pressure maintained at about 30 MPa is greater than or equal to 95% of the critical current DC Ic
Data Source
AI summary
A superconducting wire having improved electrical and physical properties.