Illinois Superconductor Corporation, Inc.

David S Applegate

James D Hodge

Lori J Klemptner

Qiang Huang

A magnetically-activated switch including a high temperature superconductor. The magnetic switch includes a high temperature superconductor coupled at both ends to a rigid beam, a thermal shield structure is disposed adjacent to the superconductor and a magnetic field source is positioned near the superconductor to allow transitioning of the superconductor in and out of the superconducting state.

Magnetically activated switch using a high temperature superconductor

A high temperature superconductor fault current limiter and a method of using same. The fault current limiter comprises a high temperature superconductor material structure at least partially encapsulated in an epoxy having thermal conductivity properties that enable the superconductor to heat rapidly during a fault condition while preventing thermal runaway. The epoxy encapsulation decreases the critical current density of the superconductor material structure and increases the rate at which resistance increases with increasing current once the critical current density is exceeded. Preferably, the epoxy has thermal expansion properties approximately equal to the thermal expansion properties of the superconductor material structure.

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Wheeling, IL, United States of America

David S Applegate