American Superconductor Corporation

Jeffrey M Seuntjens

Gregory L Snitchler

Gilbert N Riley, Jr

William L Barnes

Alexander Otto

Craig J Christopherson

Kenneth L DeMoranville

Qi Li

Swarn S Kalsi

Alexis P Malozemoff

Peter D Antaya

A cabled conductor comprises a plurality of transposed strands each comprising one or more preferably twisted filaments preferably surrounded or supported by a matrix material and comprising textured anisotropic superconducting compounds which have crystallographic grain alignment that is substantially unidirectional and independent of the rotational orientation of the strands and filaments in the cabled conductors. The cabled conductor is made by forming a plurality of suitable composite strands, forming a cabled intermediate from the strands by transposing them about the longitudinal axis of the conductor at a preselected strand lay pitch, and, texturing the strands in one or more steps including at least one step involving application of a texturing process with a primary component directed orthogonal to the widest longitudinal cross-section of the cabled intermediate, at least one such orthogonal texturing step occurring subsequent to said strand transposition step. In a preferred embodiment, the filament cross-section, filament twist pitch, and strand lay pitch are cooperatively selected to provide a filament transposition area which is always at least ten times the preferred direction area of a typical grain of the desired anisotropic superconducting compound. For materials requiring biaxial texture, the texturing step preferably includes application of a texturing process with a second primary component in a predetermined direction in the plane of the widest longitudinal cross-section of the conductor.

Cabled conductors containing anisotropic superconducting compounds

An oxide superconducting cable is provided having a plurality of strands comprised of at least one oxide superconductor filament sheathed in a ductile and conductive metal matrix and least one of said strand further comprising a substantially continuous high resistivity coating substantially surrounding said at least one strand. The strands are positioned and arranged to form a cable. The cable is prepared by (a) applying a ductile predecessor coating to a plurality of strands, each said strand comprised of at least one oxide superconductor filament or a precursor thereto sheathed in a ductile metal matrix, and the ductile predecessor capable of conversion into a high resistivity material; (b) assembling the plurality of strands into a cable; and (c ) converting the ductile predecessor into a high resistivity material, where steps (a) and (b) can be performed in any order.

Decoupling of superconducting elements in high temperature superconducting composites

A method for fabricating silver or silver alloy tube stock. The method provides silver or silver alloy tube stock with a structure that is substantially free of defects, has a fine grain size, and is amenable to uniform deformation. The silver or silver alloy tube stock is used to make silver-superconductor monofilament or multifilament precursor articles and composites.

Silver and silver alloy articles

A cabled conductor is provided for use in a cryogenically cooled circuit including refrigeration having a predetermined operating temperature and efficiency. The conductor includes multiple conductor strands cabled about the longitudinal axis of the conductor at a preselected cabling period, each strand including a composite of superconducting ceramic in intimate contact with conductive matrix material. Each filament has high performance regions in which the filament material is well-textured with its preferred direction aligned perpendicular to the widest longitudinal cross-section of the conductor alternating with poorly superconducting regions which are at least about half the diameter of a filament in length and in which the superconducting ceramic filament is strained by transposition in excess of its critical strain limit. In the poorly superconducting regions, the conductive matrix material provides an alternate current path. The ratio of the average length of the poorly superconducting regions to the preselected cabling period is less than about (&rgr;,/&rgr;,)&egr;E, where &rgr;,is the resistivity of the composite at the operating temperature; &rgr;,is the resistivity of the composite at 300 Kelvins; and &egr; is the predetermined efficiency of the refrigeration means at its operating temperature. In the preferred embodiment, this ratio is less than 1:4, and preferably less than 1:20.

Low resistance cabled conductors comprising superconducting ceramics

A cabled conductor comprises a plurality of transposed strands each comprising one or more preferably twisted filaments preferably surrounded or supported by a matrix material and comprising textured anisotropic superconducting compounds which have crystallographic grain alignment that is substantially unidirectional and independent of the rotational orientation of the strands and filaments in the cabled conductor. The cabled conductor is made by forming a plurality of suitable composite strands, forming a cabled intermediate from the strands by transposing them about the longitudinal axis of the conductor at a preselected strand lay pitch, and, texturing the strands in one or more steps including at least one step involving application of a texturing process with a primary component directed orthogonal to the widest longitudinal cross-section of the cabled intermediate, at least one such orthogonal texturing step occurring subsequent to said strand transposition step. In a preferred embodiment, the filament cross-section, filament twist pitch, and strand lay pitch are cooperatively selected to provide a filament transposition area which is always at least ten times the preferred direction area of a typical grain of the desired anisotropic superconducting compound. For materials requiring biaxial texture, the texturing step preferably includes application of a texturing process with a second primary component in a predetermined direction in the plane of the widest longitudinal cross-section of the conductor.

Method for making cabled conductors containing anisotropic superconducting compounds

A method for preparing an oxide superconductor cable includes transposing a plurality of oxide superconductor strands along a longitudinal axis so as to form a cable and exposing the cable to a two step heat treatment after cabling of the oxide strands, the heat treatment comprising, (a) heating the cable to and maintaining the cable at a first temperature sufficient to partially melt the article, such that a liquid phase co-exists with the desired oxide superconductor phase; and (b) cooling the cable to and maintaining the cable at a second temperature sufficient to substantially transform the liquid phase into the desired oxide superconductor. The oxide superconductor multistrand cable includes a plurality of oxide superconductor strands, each of the strands including an oxide superconductor having an irreversible melt characteristic, wherein the plurality of oxide strands are transposed about a longitudinal axis, such that each of the strands are substantially electrically and substantially mechanically isolated; and wherein the cable exhibits critical transport properties (J,) of at least about 10,000 A/cm,at 77K, self field.

Multifilament composite BSCCO oxide superconductor

A superconducting magnetic coil includes a first superconductor formed of an anisotropic superconducting material for providing a low-loss magnetic field characteristic for magnetic fields parallel to the longitudinal axis of the coil and a second superconductor having a low loss magnetic field characteristic for magnetic fields perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the coil. The first superconductor has a normal state resistivity characteristic conducive for providing current limiting in the event that the superconducting magnetic coil is subjected to a current fault.

Method of making fault current limiting superconducting coil

A method of forming a textured superconductor wire includes constraining an elongated superconductor precursor between two constraining elongated members placed in contact therewith on opposite sides of the superconductor precursor, and passing the superconductor precursor with the two constraining members through flat rolls to form the textured superconductor wire. The method includes selecting desired cross-sectional shape and size constraining members to control the width of the formed superconductor wire. A textured superconductor wire formed by the method of the invention has regular-shaped, curved sides and is free of flashing. A rolling assembly for single-pass rolling of the elongated precursor superconductor includes two rolls, two constraining members, and a fixture for feeding the precursor superconductor and the constraining members between the rolls. In alternate embodiments of the invention, the rolls can have machined regions which will contact only the elongated constraining members and affect the lateral deformation and movement of those members during the rolling process.

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Spencer, MA, United States of America

Jeffrey M Seuntjens