Thermosiphon Cooling for Superconducting Magnetization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Permanent magnets in wind turbines and other cylindrical structures face overheating issues during operational modes, which can lead to reduced efficiency and reliability due to the lack of effective cooling mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing thermosiphon-cooling with superconducting materials, including high-field and low-field strength superconducting materials, and a cryocooler with a wicking panel film to efficiently manage temperature by circulating a cooling gas or liquid within a cylindrical structure, ensuring uniform temperature maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If permanent magnets are used in PM machines without external excitation, then efficiency and reliability are improved, but overheating occurs during operational modes
Solution Approach 1:
A cooling fluid is introduced as an intermediary substance to transfer heat away from the permanent magnets. The fluid circulates through channels or contact surfaces, absorbing excess heat generated during operational modes and preventing overheating, thus maintaining reliability while allowing the PM machine to operate without external excitation.
Solution Approach 2:
A hydraulic or pneumatic cooling system is implemented where a cooling fluid is circulated under pressure through tubing or channels in contact with the permanent magnets. This fluid-based cooling mechanism efficiently removes heat during operational modes, solving the overheating problem while preserving the high reliability benefits of permanent magnet machines.
2Force
If superconducting materials are used for magnetization, then magnetic field strength is improved, but cooling complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system for superconducting materials is merged with the existing operational cooling infrastructure of the PM machine. By combining the superconducting material cooling requirements with the overall machine cooling system, the design reduces complexity while maintaining the high magnetic field strength benefits of superconducting materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is designed to be self-regulating, where the cooling fluid automatically circulates through thermosiphon effects or passive heat exchange mechanisms. This self-service approach minimizes the need for complex active cooling controls, reducing device complexity while enabling the use of high-field strength superconducting materials for magnetization.
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 cools superconducting materials used for magnetization, maintaining uniform temperatures and enhancing the operational efficiency and reliability of permanent magnet machines by efficiently managing heat generated during ramp-up, ramp-down, and steady-state operations.
Implementation Method 1
a first tubing system for allowing a cooling gas to interact with a high-field strength superconducting material to thermosiphon-cool the high-field strength superconducting material
Implementation Method 2
The cooling liquid is gravitationally fed through the wicking panel film to provide for reuse of the cooling liquid by the cryocooler
Implementation Method 3
a wicking panel film configured to interact with a superconducting material configured to magnetize the permanent magnet
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A system for cooling superconducting materials used for magnetization of magnets disposed within a cylindrical structure, the system including a first tubing system (22) for allowing a cooling gas to interact with a high-field strength superconducting material (15) to thermosiphon-cool the high-field strength superconducting material (15), a second tubing system (22) for allowing a cooling gas to interact with a low-field strength superconducting material (14) to thermosiphon-cool the low-field strength superconducting material (14), and a cooling gas (26) in liquefied form configured to flow through the first tubing system (22) and/or the second tubing system (22). An outlet of the first tubing system (22) and an outlet of the second tubing system (22) are located at a same location on a surface of the cylindrical structure. A method for cool superconducting materials used for magnetization of magnets disposed within a cylindrical structure is also disclosed.