American Superconductor Corporation

Nexans

Jie Yuan

James F Maguire

Douglas C Folts

Peter M Winn

Alexis P Malozemoff

Ahmed Sidi-Yekhlef

Alexander Otto

Frank Schmidt

Arnaud Allais

John R Brubaker

Patrick S Flannery

Ralph P Mason

Christopher G King

Peter Hansen

A power electronics based system using natural, convection cooling, includes an enclosure housing a plurality of discrete components distributed in a vertical direction from a bottom portion to a top portion of the enclosure and having a heat density weighted average center at a first height along the vertical direction. There is a heat exchanger adjacent to the enclosure, including an inlet port and an outlet port in fluid communication with the enclosure. The heat exchanger has a vertical cooling average center at a second height. There is a cooling fluid disposed in the enclosure and in the heat exchanger to cool the discrete components. The discrete components are positioned in the vertical direction in the enclosure such that the first height of the heat density weighted average center along the vertical direction is below the second height of the vertical cooling average center of the heat exchanger.

Natural convection cooling for power electronics systems having discrete power dissipation components

A cooling system includes a first section of high temperature superconducting (HTS) cable configured to receive a first flow of coolant and to permit the first flow of coolant to flow therethrough. The system may further include a second section of high temperature superconducting (HTS) cable configured to receive a second flow of coolant and to permit the second flow of coolant to flow therethrough. The system may further include a cable joint configured to couple the first section of HTS cable and the second section of HTS cable. The cable joint may be in fluid communication with at least one refrigeration module and may include at least one conduit configured to permit a third flow of coolant between said cable joint and said at least one refrigeration module through a coolant line separate from said first and second sections of HTS cable. Other embodiments and implementations are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

Electricity transmission cooling system

A method for cooling high temperature superconducting (HTS) cable comprising receiving a first flow of coolant at a first section of HTS cable and permitting the first flow of coolant to flow therethrough. The method also includes receiving a second flow of coolant at a second section of HTS cable and permitting the second flow of coolant to flow therethrough. The first section of HTS cable and said second section of HTS cable are coupled via a cable joint, the cable joint electrically connecting the first and second sections of HTS cable. The cable joint is in fluid communication with at least one refrigeration module. The cable joint includes at least one conduit configured to permit a third flow of coolant between the cable joint and the at least one refrigeration module through a coolant line separate from the first and second sections of HTS cable.

A cooling system includes a first section of high temperature superconducting (HTS) cable configured to receive a first flow of coolant and to permit the first flow of coolant to flow therethrough. The system may further include a second section of high temperature superconducting (HTS) cable configured to receive a second flow of coolant and to permit the second flow of coolant to flow therethrough. The system may further include a cable joint configured to couple the first section of HTS cable and the second section of HTS cable. The cable joint may be in fluid communication with at least one refrigeration module and may include at least one conduit configured to permit a third flow of coolant between said cable joint and said at least one refrigeration module through a coolant line separate from said first and second sections of HTS cable.

A cryogenically-cooled HTS cable is configured to be included within a utility power grid having a maximum fault current that would occur in the absence of the cryogenically-cooled HTS cable. The cryogenically-cooled HTS cable includes a continuous liquid cryogen coolant path for circulating a liquid cryogen. A continuously flexible arrangement of HTS wires has an impedance characteristic that attenuates the maximum fault current by at least 10%. The continuously flexible arrangement of HTS wires is configured to allow the cryogenically-cooled HTS cable to operate, during the occurrence of a maximum fault condition, with a maximum temperature rise within the HTS wires that is low enough to prevent the formation of gas bubbles within the liquid cryogen.

Fault current limiting HTS cable and method of configuring same

A method of controlling fault currents within a utility power grid is provided. The method may include coupling a superconducting electrical path between a first and a second node within the utility power grid and coupling a non-superconducting electrical path between the first and second nodes within the utility power grid. The superconducting electrical path and the non-superconducting electrical path may be electrically connected in parallel. The superconducting electrical path may have a lower series impedance, when operated below a critical current level, than the non-superconducting electrical path. The superconducting electrical path may have a higher series impedance, when operated at or above the critical current level, than the non-superconductor electrical path.

Parallel connected HTS utility device and method of using same

An HTS cable assembly is provided which includes a cryostat or housing, an HTS wire bundle disposed longitudinally within the cryostat, and plural support members disposed between the HTS wire bundle and the cryostat. The support members are elongate, tubular members having resiliency in both the axial and radial directions. The support members are disposed between the HTS wire bundle and the inner surface of the cryostat in an arrangement that maintains and supports the HTS wire bundle in a spaced-apart relationship with respect to the inner surface of the cryostat. In addition, the plural support members are configured to substantially prevent relative movement between the HTS wire bundle and the cryostat.

Superconducting cable assembly and method of assembly

High-current, compact, flexible conductors containing high temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes and methods for making the same are described. The HTS tapes are arranged into a stack, a plurality of stacks are arranged to form a superstructure, and the superstructure is twisted about the cable axis to obtain a HTS cable. The HTS cables of the invention can be utilized in numerous applications such as cables employed to generate magnetic fields for degaussing and high current electric power transmission or distribution applications.

High-current, compact flexible conductors containing high temperature superconducting tapes

A superconducting transformer system is configured to be included within a utility power grid having a known fault current level. The superconducting transformer system includes a non-superconducting transformer interconnected between a first node and a second node of the utility power grid. A superconducting transformer is interconnected between the first node and the second node of the utility power grid. The superconducting transformer and the non-superconducting transformer are electrically connected in parallel. The superconducting transformer has a lower series impedance than the non-superconducting transformer when the superconducting transformer is operated below a critical current level and a critical temperature. The superconducting transformer is configured to have a series impedance that is at least N times the series impedance of the non-superconducting transformer when the superconducting transformer is operated at or above one or more of the critical current level and the critical temperature. N is greater than 1 and is selected to attenuate, in conjunction with an impedance of the non-superconducting transformer, the known fault current level by at least 10%.

Parallel HTS transformer device

A method and system for providing protection for a superconducting electrical cable located in a utility power network includes detecting a fault current on the superconducting electric cable, determining the cumulative total energy dissipated in the superconducting electrical cable from the fault current and at least one prior fault current over a predetermined time period, and determining whether to disconnect the superconducting electrical cable from the utility power network on the basis of the cumulative total energy dissipated.

Fault management of high temperture superconductor cable

A cryogenic cooling system is configured to control the flow of a heat transfer fluid through a remote thermal load, such as a superconducting magnet or rotor. The cryogenic cooling system includes a refrigerator including a cryogenically cooled surface and a cryogenic fluid transport device disposed for circulating a heat transfer fluid between the cryogenically cooled surface and the remote thermal load. The cryogenic fluid transport device advantageously serves as device for providing the necessary mechanical force necessary to move the heat transfer fluid from the cryogenically cooled surface (e.g., end of a cryocooler) to the remote thermal load. Thus, unlike conventional cooling arrangements the heat transfer fluid does not require a phase change.

Cooling system for HTS machines

A cryogenic refrigerator for cooling a rotating device includes a stationary regenerator, and a rotatable cold heat exchanger coupled to the stationary regenerator to rotate relative thereto. The cryogenic refrigerator is, for example, of the Gifford-McMahon type or pulse tube type. In the Gifford-McMahon type, a stationary cylinder houses the regenerator, and a rotatable cylinder mounted to the cold heat exchanger is concentrically arranged about the stationary cylinder. Alternatively, the rotatable cylinder is axially offset of the stationary cylinder. A seal, for example, a ferrofluidic seal, is located between the stationary and rotatable cylinders. In the pulse-tube type, a pulse tube is concentrically arranged about the regenerator, and the cold heat exchanger includes a stationary portion coupled to the regenerator and a rotatable portion coupled to the pulse tube. A back-up valve system is provided for increased reliability.

Cryogenic refrigerator

A cryogenic cooling system is configured to control the flow of a heat transfer fluid through a remote thermal load, such as a superconducting magnet or rotor. The cryogenic cooling system includes a refrigerator including a cryogenically cooled surface and a cryogenic fluid transport device disposed within the refrigerator for circulating a heat transfer fluid between the cryogenically cooled surface and the remote thermal load. The cryogenic fluid transport device being positioned within the refrigerator advantageously serves as device for providing the necessary mechanical force necessary to move the heat transfer fluid from the cryogenically cooled surface (e.g., end of a cryocooler) to the remote thermal load. Thus, unlike conventional cooling arrangements the heat transfer fluid does not require a phase change.

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South Grafton, MA, United States of America

Jie Yuan