Southwire Company, LLC

Uday K Sinha

David Reece

Raburn L Hughey

Albert C Muller

Ronald D Adams

Frank A Peacock

E Henry Chia

Thomas N Wilson

John Cassimus

Jerry Tolbert

In order to provide a flexible oxide superconducting cable which is reduced in AC loss, tape-shaped superconducting wires covered with a stabilizing metal are wound on a flexible former. The superconducting wires are preferably laid on the former at a bending strain of not more than 0.2 %. In laying on the former, a number of tape-shaped superconducting wires are laid on a core member in a side-by-side manner, to form a first layer. A prescribed number of tape-shaped superconducting wires are laid on top of the first layer in a side-by-side manner, to form a second layer. The former may be made of a metal, plastic, reinforced plastic, polymer, or a composite and provides flexibility to the superconducting wires and the cable formed therewith.

Superconducting cable

In order to provide a flexible oxide superconducting cable which is reduced in AC loss, tape-shaped superconducting wires covered with a stabilizing metal are wound on a flexible former. The superconducting wires are preferably laid on the former at a bending strain of not more than 0.2%. In laying on the former, a number of tape-shaped superconducting wires are laid on a core member in a side-by-side manner, to form a first layer. A prescribed number of tape-shaped superconducting wires are laid on top of the first layer in a side-by-side manner, to form a second layer. The former may be made of a metal, plastic, reinforced plastic, polymer, or a composite and provides flexibility to the superconducting wires and the cable formed therewith.

Superconducting cable having a flexible former

Disclosed is a termination that connects high temperature superconducting (HTS) cable immersed in pressurized liquid nitrogen to high voltage and neutral (shield) external bushings at ambient temperature and pressure. The termination consists of a splice between the HTS power (inner) and shield (outer) conductors and concentric copper pipes which are the conductors in the termination. There is also a transition from the dielectric tape insulator used in the HTS cable to the insulators used between and around the copper pipe conductors in the termination. At the warm end of the termination the copper pipes are connected via copper braided straps to the conventional warm external bushings which have low thermal stresses. This termination allows for a natural temperature gradient in the copper pipe conductors inside the termination which enables the controlled flashing of the pressurized liquid coolant (nitrogen) to the gaseous state. Thus the entire termination is near the coolant supply pressure and the high voltage and shield cold bushings, a highly stressed component used in most HTS cables, are eliminated. A sliding seal allows for cable contraction as it is cooled from room temperature to &#x2dc;72-82 K. Seals, static vacuum, and multi-layer superinsulation minimize radial heat leak to the environment.

Superconducting cable termination

Method for continuously extruding powdered, comminuted, or particulated feed material with a Conform extrusion machine or the like in cooperation with a forming wheel rotatably disposed within a portion of the Conform wheel to compress the feed material into a compacted feedstock. Compressing of the feed material into a compacted feedstock enables uniform and reliable conveyance of the feed material into the extrusion machine without unnecessarily subjecting the compressed feedstock to air or oxygen. An auxiliary shoe member conforming to the outer periphery of the forming wheel and to the Conform shoe enables separation of the compacted feedstock from the forming wheel. The auxiliary shoe directs the compacted feedstock into a passageway formed by the Conform machine extrusion wheel and extrusion shoe. As the respective wheels are rotated the forces on the compacted feedstock heat it and cause it to yield and flow through an extrusion chamber adjacent the Conform machine abutment; it is then extruded from a die in the wall of the chamber. A temperature control system in heat exchanging relationship with the chamber in proximity to the die maintains a desired temperature uniformity in the chamber material to provide uniformity of grain size in the extruded product. Temperature control systems may also be provided for the feed material and for metallurgical control of the extruded product.

Method for conform extrusion of powder feed

Apparatus for continuously extruding powdered, comminuted, or particulated feed material which includes a Conform extrusion machine or the like in cooperation with a forming wheel rotatably disposed within a portion of the Conform wheel to compress the feed material into a compacted feedstock. Compressing the feed material into a compacted feedstock enables uniform and reliable conveyance of the feed material into the extrusion machine. An auxiliary shoe member conforming to the outer periphery of the forming wheel and to the Conform shoe is included to separate the compacted feedstock from the forming wheel. The auxiliary shoe directs the compacted feedstock into a passageway formed by the Conform machine extrusion wheel and extrusion shoe. As the respective wheels are rotated the forces on the compacted feedstock heat it and cause it to yield and flow through an extrusion chamber adjacent the Conform machine abutment; it is then extruded from a die in the wall of the chamber. A temperature control system in heat exchanging relationship with the chamber in proximity to the die maintains a desired temperature uniformity in the chamber material to provide uniformity of grain size in the extruded product. Temperature control systems may also be provided for the feed material and for metallurgical control of the extruded product.

Apparatus for conform extrusion of powder feed

Apparatus for continuously extruding material includes a moving member and a stationary member forming a passageway therebetween for frictional feeding of the material to be extruded under pressure into the passageway. An abutment in the passageway forms a barrier to the material being fed therein, whereby the forces on the material heat it and cause it to yield. The heated material flows into an extrusion chamber adjacent to the abutment and is extruded from a die in a wall of the chamber. A cooling system in heat exchanging relationship with the chamber in proximity to the die maintains the material in that region of the chamber at a substantially uniform temperature to provide uniformity of grain size in the extruded product. A further cooling system at the point of egress cools the extruded product immediately as it exits from the die to inhibit secondary recrystallization.

Conform extrusion process and apparatus

Apparatus for continuously extruding material includes a moving member and a stationary member forming a passageway therebetween for frictional feeding of the material to be extruded under pressure into the passageway. An abutment in the passageway forms a barrier to the material being fed therein, whereby the forces on the material heat it and cause it to yield. The heated material flows into an extrusion chamber adjacent to the abutment and is extruded from a die in a wall of the chamber. A cooling system provides first and second phases of quenching the extruded product separated by an interval of self-annealing to limit the surface grain size and the hardness of the extruded product. The product is subjected to the first phase of quenching immediately as it exists the die, to maintain the temperature of the extruded product at a desired fixed level at a selected point along the flow path of the extruded product downstream of the die.

Conform product thermomechanical treatment

In an in-line refining vessel (50) having submerged porous plugs (20) for bubbling oxygen through the molten metal, a shroud device (52) to circulate nitrogen around the porous plug (20) and oxygen supply pipe (25).

Refractory porous plug

A method is provided for optimally operating a wheel-type continuous caster such that solidification porosity and macrosegregation in the continuous strand thus produced is substantially minimized while casting speed is substantially maximized subject to that condition. Continuous casting is adjusted from an operational condition where solidification porosity is forming by changing the solidification rate so as to cause the terminus of the solidification zone to shift location in the direction of increasing metalostatic pressure until the point where solidification porosity ceases to form or its occurrence is minimized; further provided that in the vicinity of the solidification terminus the direction of increasing metalostatic pressure is maintained counter to the direction of casting. Conversely, from an operational condition where solidification porosity is not forming, solidification rate is changed so as to cause the solidification terminus to shift location in the direction of casting and in the direction of decreasing metalostatic pressure until formation of solidification porosity impends. Advantageously, this system may be utilized continuously to correct continually for perturbations during continuous casting. Additionally, the invention comprehends a continuously cast strand of indefinite length produced by the above method wherein macroscopic solidification porosity has been substantially eliminated and macrosegregation has been substantially minimized. This advance is especially important for alloys that are particularly susceptible to solidification bridging defects in casting, such as those alloys having a large freezing range.

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Carrollton, GA, United States of America

Uday K Sinha