Superconducting Wire, Tape, Cable, Or Fiber, Per Se Patents (Class 505/230)
  • Publication number: 20120108436
    Abstract: A substrate of the present invention includes a copper layer, an alloy layer containing copper and nickel, formed on the copper layer, a nickel layer formed on the alloy layer, and an intermediate layer formed on the nickel layer. The concentration of nickel in the alloy layer at the interface between the alloy layer and the nickel layer is greater than the concentration of nickel in the alloy layer at the interface between the alloy layer and the copper layer. According to the present invention, there can be provided a substrate that allows the AC loss of a superconducting wire to be reduced, a method of producing a substrate, a superconducting wire, and a method of producing a superconducting wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicants: TOYO KOHAN CO., LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Yamaguchi, Masaya Konishi, Hajime Ota
  • Publication number: 20120108435
    Abstract: Provided is a superconducting apparatus, including a joint of superconducting wires having high electric conduction characteristics and a superconducting magnet or the like. The superconducting joint comprises a plurality of superconducting wires and a sinter which integrates the plurality of superconducting wires. Herein, at least any one of the superconducting wires is a MgB2 superconducting wire, the sinter contains MgB2, and the sinter is compressed form the direction different from the direction toward which the superconducting wires protrude. Further, in order to form such a joint, a compression vessel provided with an opening used for introducing raw material powders to construct the sinter and another opening used for inserting the superconducting wires is utilized, and the openings are directed to different directions each other. Accordingly, MgB2 is filled in the sinter at high density, allowing the joint structure to have a good bonding property among particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventors: Yota ICHIKI, Tsuyoshi Wakuda, Kazuhide Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20120094841
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of preparing a MgB2 superconducting wire and the MgB2 superconducting wire prepared thereby. The method comprising rolling a raw powder by using a powder rolling method. According to the method of the present invention has an effect of increasing an effective area where superconducting current can flow by improvement of the connectivity of a MgB2 superconducting powder and achievement of high density through a powder rolling process, and maintaining an uniform current value even in a large length because of the improvement of the connectivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials
    Inventors: Kook-Chae Chung, Tae-Jeong Jeong, Gyu-Chae Choi, Tae-Hoon Kim, Tae-Soo Lim, Young-Kuk Kim, Soon-Tae Ahn
  • Patent number: 8148301
    Abstract: An oxide superconductor member is composed of a tape-shaped substrate, an intermediate layer formed on this substrate and an oxide superconductor thin film layer formed on this intermediate layer. A surface of the tape-shaped substrate is polished by continuously running the tape-shaped substrate. The polishing step includes initial polishing process and finishing process which are carried out such that the average surface roughness Ra of the substrate becomes 2 nanometers or less and the in-plane directionality of the intermediate layer becomes 5° or less after the polishing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: NIHON Micro Coating Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sanaki Horimoto, Takuya Nagamine, Takehiro Watanabe, Fumi Murokawa, Yuji Horie, Noriyuki Kumasaka, Masahiro Hosoi
  • Patent number: 8143194
    Abstract: An oxide superconductor member is composed of a tape-shaped substrate, an intermediate layer formed on this substrate and an oxide superconductor thin film layer formed on this intermediate layer. A surface of the tape-shaped substrate is polished by continuously running the tape-shaped substrate. The polishing step includes initial polishing process and finishing process which are carried out such that the average surface roughness Ra of the substrate becomes 2 nanometers or less and the in-plane directionality of the intermediate layer becomes 5° or less after the polishing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: NIHON Micro Coating Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sanaki Horimoto, Takuya Nagamine, Takehiro Watanabe, Fumi Murokawa, Yuji Horie, Noriyuki Kumasaka, Masahiro Hosoi
  • Patent number: 8134073
    Abstract: Bond wires for integrated circuits are implemented using a variety of methods. Using one such method, a composite bond wire is produced for use in an integrated circuit. A conductive material is melted and mixed with a material of particles less than 100 micrometers in size to create a mixture. The mixture is used to create the composite bond wire. A composite wire having an inner core and an outer layer having a higher conductivity than the inner core is also provided. The outer layer is designed to be thicker than the skin depth at the operating frequency for carrying AC signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Chris Wyland
  • Publication number: 20120040840
    Abstract: [Problem] A metal laminated substrate for an oxide superconducting wire is provided at a low cost. The metal laminated substrate has high strength, and stable high biaxial orientation in the longitudinal direction. [Means for Resolution] A metal laminated substrate for an oxide superconducting wire is manufactured such that a non-magnetic metal plate T1 having a thickness of not more than 0.2 mm and a metal foil T2 made of Cu alloy which is formed by cold rolling at a draft of not less than 90% and has a thickness of not more than 50 ?m is laminated to each other by room-temperature surface active bonding, after lamination, crystal of the metal foil is oriented by heat treatment at a temperature of not less than 150° C. and not more than 1000° C. and, thereafter, an epitaxial growth film T3 made of Ni or an Ni alloy having a thickness of not more than 10 ?m is laminated to the metal foil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Inventors: Hironao Okayama, Akira Kaneko, Takeshi Kato, Masaya Konishi
  • Patent number: 8112135
    Abstract: A superconductive electrical cable is provided, which comprises a conductor consisting of superconductive wires. The conductor (L) is designed as a stranded conductor in which the wires (1) are stranded together with a predetermined pitch length (S) lying between about 5×D and about 20×D, where D is the diameter of the stranded conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Nexans
    Inventors: Arnaud Allals, Frank Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20120028808
    Abstract: An oxide superconducting tape comprised of a substrate on which a GdBa2Cu3O7-? (?=0 to 1) superconductor layer is formed, characterized in that, inside of said superconductor layer, columnar or rod-shaped BaZrO3 crystals are dispersed such that they are inclined from c-axis of the superconducting crystals and that BaZrO3 crystals adjacent in longitudinal directions are in a skew position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Kenji Kaneko, Teruo Matsushita, Akira Ibi, Masateru Yoshizumi, Teruo Izumi, Yuh Shiohara
  • Publication number: 20120028809
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a wire from textured powder includes compressing a powder comprising a plurality of particles into a ribbon. The method further includes encasing the ribbon between two foil sheets to create a sheet of encased ribbon. The method additionally includes rolling the encased ribbon into a substantially cylindrical undrawn wire. The method further includes drawing the undrawn wire to create a substantially cylindrical wire having a diameter less than a diameter of the substantially cylindrical undrawn wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: Peter M. McIntyre, Kyle C. Damborsky, Nathaniel J. Pogue
  • Publication number: 20120021917
    Abstract: Disclosed is a low-cost metal substrate which is resistant to high-temperature oxidation, has excellent strength, is non-magnetic and is ideal for a high-temperature superconducting wire to be used at or lower than liquid nitrogen temperature. Austenitic stainless steel containing 0.4 weight or more of nitrogen is used as the metal substrate for the superconducting wire. After heat treatment of 700 to 950° C. in the high-temperature superconducting layer formation step is carried out, the metal substrate has an extremely high 0.20 proof stress at liquid nitrogen temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hisaki Sakamoto, Yoshinori Nagasu
  • Publication number: 20120015816
    Abstract: A current terminal structure of a superconductor has a former, and a superconducting wire wound around the former in one or more layers and including a substrate and a superconducting layer formed on the substrate. A first layer superconducting wire wound around immediately above the former is arranged so that a substrate side thereof becomes outside and a superconducting layer side thereof becomes inside. A surface of the superconducting layer at an end of the first layer superconducting wire, which is directed toward the inside, and part of a surface of the superconducting layer of a connection superconducting wire, which is directed toward the outside, are faced and connected to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicants: INTERNATIONAL SUPERCONDUCTIVITY TECHNOLOGY CENTER, FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD
    Inventors: Masashi Yagi, Hirao Hirata, Mitsuo Suzuki, Shinichi Mukoyama, Yuh Shiohara
  • Publication number: 20120015815
    Abstract: A coated conductor with a substantially round cross section has a high temperature superconductor layer which is sandwiched between an inner substrate layer and an outer substrate layer to place the high temperature superconductor layer in the region of neutral strain axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Arnaud Allais, Mark O. Rikel, Jürgen Ehrenberg, Christian-Eric Bruzek
  • Publication number: 20120010084
    Abstract: Under one aspect, a laminated, spliced superconductor wire includes a superconductor joint, which includes (i) first and second superconductor wires, each wire including a substrate, a superconductor layer overlying the substrate, and a cap layer overlying the superconductor layer; and (ii) a conductive bridge, the conductive bridge including a substrate, a superconductor layer overlying the substrate, and a cap layer overlying the superconductor layer, wherein the cap layer of the conductive bridge is in electrically conductive contact with a portion of the cap layer of each of the first and second superconductor wires through an electrically conductive bonding material. The spliced wire also includes (b) a stabilizer structure surrounding at least a portion of the superconductor joint, wherein the superconductor joint is in electrical contact with the stabilizer structure; and (c) a substantially nonporous electrically conductive filler, wherein the filler substantially surrounds the superconductor joint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Otto, Eric R. Podtburg
  • Publication number: 20120004110
    Abstract: It is an objective of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing long lengths of MgB2 superconducting wire having excellent superconducting properties and an MgB2 superconducting wire manufactured thereby. There is provided a method for manufacturing a magnesium diboride superconducting wire, comprising the successive steps of: filling a metallic tube with a raw material powder; and subjecting the tube to wiredrawing processing, in which a fatty acid metal salt or a mixture of the fatty acid metal salt and a fatty acid is added to the raw material powder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventors: Masaya TAKAHASHI, Tsuyoshi Wakuda, Yota Ichiki, Kazuhide Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20110287943
    Abstract: A base for a superconducting wire, the base includes: a metal substrate; a bed layer constituted of nesosilicate and formed on the metal substrate; and an oriented layer formed on the bed layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki FUKUSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20110263432
    Abstract: A tape-type superconductor (1), comprising an elongated substrate (2), in particular a metal tape, and a continuous superconducting layer (3), in particular of a HTS type material, deposited on the substrate (2), is characterized in that Ic?/Ic??1.5, with Ic? being the width density of critical current of the continuous superconducting layer (3) in parallel to the substrate (2) and in parallel to the elongated direction of the substrate (2), and with Ic? being the width density of critical current of the continuous superconducting layer (3) in parallel to the substrate (2) and perpendicular to the elongated direction of the substrate (2). The tape-type superconductor has reduced ac losses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: Bruker HTS GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Usoskin, Klaus Schlenga
  • Patent number: 8043716
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a gradient thin film, formed on a substrate by simultaneously depositing different materials on the substrate using a plurality of thin film deposition apparatuses provided in a vacuum chamber, wherein the gradient thin film is formed such that the composition thereof is continuously changed depending on the thickness thereof by deposition control plates provided in the path through which the different materials move to the substrate. The gradient thin film is advantageous in that the thin film is formed by simultaneously depositing different materials using various deposition apparatuses, so that the composition thereof is continuously changed depending on the thickness thereof, with the result that the physical properties of a thin film are easily controlled and the number of deposition processes is decreased, and thus processing time and manufacturing costs are decreased, thereby improving economic efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute
    Inventors: Ho Sup Kim, Sang Soo Oh, Tae Hyung Kim, Dong Woo Ha, Kyu Jung Song, Hong Soo Ha, Rock Kil Ko, Nam Jin Lee
  • Patent number: 8034746
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing round wire using superconducting tape, including the steps of: slitting superconducting tape into superconducting tape strips; silver-coating the slit superconducting tape strips; laminating the silver-coated superconducting tape strips to form a superconducting tape laminate having a square cross-section; holding the superconducting tape laminate; heat-treating the fixed superconducting tape laminate to cause diffusion junction between silver; and copper-plating the heat-treated superconducting tape laminate to have a circular section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute
    Inventors: Hong Soo Ha, Sang Soo Oh, Dong Woo Ha, Rock Kil Ko, Ho Sup Kim
  • Patent number: 8034745
    Abstract: Novel articles and methods to fabricate same with self-assembled nanodots and/or nanorods of a single or multicomponent material within another single or multicomponent material for use in electrical, electronic, magnetic, electromagnetic, superconducting and electrooptical devices is disclosed. Self-assembled nanodots and/or nanorods are ordered arrays wherein ordering occurs due to strain minimization during growth of the materials. A simple method to accomplish this when depositing in-situ films is also disclosed. Device applications of resulting materials are in areas of superconductivity, photovoltaics, ferroelectrics, magnetoresistance, high density storage, solid state lighting, non-volatile memory, photoluminescence, thermoelectrics and in quantum dot lasers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Inventor: Amit Goyal
  • Patent number: 8030246
    Abstract: Under one aspect, a laminated, spliced superconductor wire includes a superconductor joint, which includes (i) first and second superconductor wires, each wire including a substrate, a superconductor layer overlying the substrate, and a cap layer overlying the superconductor layer; and (ii) a conductive bridge, the conductive bridge including a substrate, a superconductor layer overlying the substrate, and a cap layer overlying the superconductor layer, wherein the cap layer of the conductive bridge is in electrically conductive contact with a portion of the cap layer of each of the first and second superconductor wires through an electrically conductive bonding material. The spliced wire also includes (b) a stabilizer structure surrounding at least a portion of the superconductor joint, wherein the superconductor joint is in electrical contact with the stabilizer structure; and (c) a substantially nonporous electrically conductive filler, wherein the filler substantially surrounds the superconductor joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Otto, Eric R. Podtburg
  • Publication number: 20110218113
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate for superconductive film formation, which includes a metal substrate, and an oxide layer formed directly on the metal substrate, containing chromium oxide as a major component and having a thickness of 10-300 nm and an arithmetic average roughness Ra of not more than 50 nm. A method of manufacturing a substrate for superconductive film formation, which includes forming an oxide layer directly on a metal substrate, the oxide layer containing chromium oxide as a major component and having a thickness of 10-300 nm and an arithmetic average roughness Ra of not more than 50 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicants: INTERNATIONAL SUPERCONDUCTIVITY TECHNOLOGY CENTER, FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD, JAPAN FINE CERAMICS CENTER
    Inventors: Seiki Miyata, Hiroyuki Fukushima, Reiji Kuriki, Akira Ibi, Masateru Yoshizumi, Akio Kinoshita, Yutaka Yamada, Yuh Shiohara, Ryuji Yoshida, Takeharu Kato, Tsukasa Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20110218112
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a superconducting wire which is used in, for example, superconducting magnet energy storage systems. The superconducting wire includes: a wire comprising a metal substrate, a superconducting layer and a buffer interposed between the metal substrate and the superconducting layer; and a stabilizer layer plated on the wire, wherein an epoxy resin insulating layer coats the entire surface of the stabilizer layer. The superconducting wire makes it possible to reduce damage to an insulating material when forming the insulating material during the production of the superconducting wire, and it has a uniform surface and can be produced in a simple manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute
    Inventors: Hong Soo Ha, Sang Soo Oh, Seok Ho Kim, Gi Deok Shim
  • Patent number: 8008233
    Abstract: A coated conductor with simplified layer architecture includes a biaxial textured substrate, a template buffer layer composed of a material having the general formula RE2?xB2+xO7 with RE being at least one lanthanoid metal, B being at least one metal selected from Zr and Hf and ?0.4?x?+0.7, where the superconductor layer is obtainable by hybrid liquid phase epitaxy and can be deposited directly onto the template buffer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignees: Nexans, Cambridge Enterprise Limited
    Inventors: Dirk Isfort, Joachim Bock, Judith Louise Driscoll, Ahmed Kursumovic
  • Patent number: 7996053
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a quench controlled high temperature superconductor component wherein at least one depression is provided in a surface of the component resulting in a reduced wall thickness, and, wherein an electrical shunt is applied into the depression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Nexans
    Inventors: Heribert Walter, Joachim Bock, Robert Dommerque, Sergej Bemert
  • Publication number: 20110190139
    Abstract: A method of producing a Nb3Sn superconducting wire rod includes forming a wire rod comprising Nb, Sn and Cu, and having a mole ratio of the Sn expressed as ax+b(1?x), where 0.25?x?0.8, 0.3?a?0.4 and 0.02?b?0.1, and x and 1?x are prescribed as a mole ratio of the Nb and a mole ratio of the Cu, respectively, to a total of a mole number of the Nb and a mole number of the Cu, and heating the wire rod to produce Nb3Sn from the Sn and the Nb. By the heating of the wire rod, a Cu—Sn alloy is produced from the Sn and the Cu, concurrently with the Nb3Sn produced from the Sn and the Nb.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: HITACHI CABLE, LTD.
    Inventors: Katsumi OHATA, Masahiro SEIDO, Morio KIMURA
  • Patent number: 7989702
    Abstract: The present invention offers a sealing-end structure for a superconducting cable. The structure performs, through a bushing, the outputting and inputting of electric power between a normal-temperature side and a cryogenic-temperature side, where an end portion of a superconducting cable is placed. The sealing-end structure is provided with a coolant vessel at the cryogenic-temperature side for cooling the bushing. The coolant vessel has a liquid-coolant region filled with a liquid coolant and a gaseous-coolant region filled with a gaseous coolant. The coolant vessel is provided with a contraction-absorbing portion for absorbing the contraction of the coolant vessel when it thermally contracts by the effect of the coolant. The sealing-end structure for a superconducting cable suppresses the deterioration of the sealing performance of sealing members placed at the boundary between the normal-temperature side and the cryogenic-temperature side over a long period of use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Ashibe, Hideki Itoh
  • Patent number: 7985714
    Abstract: A precursor for fabricating a Nb3Sn superconducting wire by an internal Sn process includes one or a plurality of stabilizing copper portions collectively disposed in the center, each stabilizing copper portion being provided with a diffusion barrier layer in the periphery thereof, and a superconducting matrix portion disposed so as to surround the one or the plurality of stabilizing copper portions, the superconducting matrix portion including a Nb or Nb-based alloy core and a Sn or Sn-based alloy core embedded in a Cu or Cu-based alloy matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kato, Takashi Hase, Kyoji Zaitsu
  • Patent number: 7985925
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a superconducting hollow cable and a method for the production thereof. The superconducting hollow cable (1) has an outer tube (2) which has a circular inner cross-section and a cylindrical inner wall (3). In addition, the superconducting hollow cable (1) has a central cooling channel (4) of a polygonal or circular cross-section that is, however, smaller than the inner cross-section of the outer tube (2). Arranged between the outer tube (2) and the cooling channel (4) are profiled superconducting wires (5). These profiled superconducting wires (5) have a cross-sectional profile which corresponds to a key stone as known for Roman stone bridges or for groin vaults. For the purpose, the cross-sectional profile has at least one outer region (7) of curvature and an inner region (8), the outer region (7) of curvature being matched to the inner radius of the outer tube (2) and the inner region (8) being matched to the cooling channel (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: GSI Helmholtzzentrum Fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH
    Inventors: Egbert Fischer, Hamlet Khodghibagiyan, Alexander Kovalenko, Gebhard Moritz
  • Publication number: 20110152102
    Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for measuring electrical dissipation in a coil wound with superconducting wire or tape are disclosed. The superconducting coil may include one or more superconducting wires wound together with a witness winding. The one or more superconducting wires may be electrically connected to the witness winding. The one or more superconducting wires may be shaped as a tape. The witness winding may be a tape. The superconducting coil may be wound into a flat pancake structure. The witness winding may be configured to detect a quench in the one or more superconducting wires, which may otherwise interfere with the superconductivity of the one or more superconducting wires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventor: JOHN H CLAASSEN
  • Patent number: 7964533
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a high temperature superconductor (HTSC) from a strip including an upper side precursor layer and which, for continuous sintering of the precursor layer within a furnace in the presence of a fed-in reaction gas, is drawn across a support. A furnace for performing the method is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Zenergy Power GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Baecker
  • Publication number: 20110143945
    Abstract: A method is specified for production of a superconducting electrical conductor which has a ceramic material as the superconducting material. A metal ribbon is formed around a multiplicity of flat strips of a mount which is coated with the superconducting ceramic material, running longitudinally to form a tube having a slot which runs in the longitudinal direction, and whose edges which rest on one another on the slot are welded to one another The tube which is closed by the welding process is then reduced to a diameter which corresponds approximately to the envelopes of all the strips which are located in the tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Rainer Soika, Dipl-Ing Frank Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20110136670
    Abstract: Compositions are disclosed of a matrix of a high temperature superconductive oxide such as YBCO, with non-superconductive particles distributed in the matrix. The non-superconductive particles comprise at least one rare earth element (RE) and at least one of tantalum (Ta) and niobium (Nb). Of particular interest are non-superconductive particles of composition RE-Ta3O7 (RTO), where RE is Yb, Er, Gd or Sm, disposed in a YBCO superconductive matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: CAMBRIDGE ENTERPRISE LIMITED
    Inventors: Sophie-Ann Harrington, Judith Macmanus-Driscoll
  • Publication number: 20110136673
    Abstract: A precursor wire of an oxide superconducting wire includes a first sheath made of silver or silver alloy, a center portion in the first sheath, and a plurality of peripheral segments placed close to one another at the inside of the first sheath so as to surround the center portion. Each of the peripheral segments is formed as a monofilamentary segment that has an arch-shaped cross section and that includes a ribbon-shaped filament made of a precursor of an oxide superconductor and covered with a second sheath made of silver or silver alloy. The multiple peripheral segments are placed in a multilayer state in the form of concentric circles such that wide-width surfaces of the peripheral segments surround the center portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki Ayai
  • Publication number: 20110132631
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas C. Folts, James Maguire, Jie Yuan, Alexis P. Malozemoff
  • Publication number: 20110136672
    Abstract: A hollow tube (1), for inserting superconductor precursor material such as superconductor precursor rods (13) into its bore (3), wherein the tube (1) extends along an axial direction, and wherein the tube (1) comprises a matrix (4) made of a first ductile material, is characterized in that a plurality of continuous filaments (5), extending along the axial direction of the tube (1), are distributed in the matrix (4), wherein the continuous filaments (5) are made of a second ductile material. With the invention, a good quality mechanical reinforcement of superconductor wires, in particular which can be used without later hot extrusion, can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: Bruker BioSpin AG
    Inventors: Florin Buta, René Flükiger
  • Patent number: 7953466
    Abstract: A superconductive cable is provided which upon normal state, restricts flowing of electric current to a former to the maximum extent to thereby keep a cryogenic state in the superconductive cable stable. The superconductive cable includes a former surrounded by a superconductive layer and a cryostat provided at the outside of the superconductive layer, wherein the former includes a metal wire-wound part around which a plurality of wires is wound and an eddy-current prevention layer provided on the outer face of the wire-wound part, and the metal wires and the eddy-current prevention layer are made of a copper alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: LS Cable Ltd
    Inventors: Hyun-man Jang, Chang-young Lee, Choon-dong Kim
  • Publication number: 20110124508
    Abstract: A RE-type oxide superconducting wire having excellent angular dependence for magnetic field of Jc is obtained by finely dispersing magnetic flux pinning centers into a superconductor. A mixed solution which comprises a metal-organic complex solution including a metal element which composes a RE-type oxide superconductor whose Ba content is reduced and a metal-organic complex solution including at least one or more kinds of metals which are selected from Zr, Ce, Sn, or Ti which has a larger affinity for Ba is coated onto an intermediate layer of a composite substrate, and the assembly is then calcined to disperse artificially and finely oxide particles (magnetic flux pinning centers) including Zr. Thus, the angular dependence for magnetic field (Jc,min/Jc,max) of Jc can be remarkably improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicants: INTERNATIONAL SUPERCONDUCTIVITY TECHNOLOGY CENTER, THE JURIDICAL FOUNDATION, SWCC SHOWA CABLE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Miura, Tatsuhisa Nakanishi, Yasunori Sutoh, Teruo Izumi, Yuh Shiohara
  • Patent number: 7943852
    Abstract: A superconducting cable has a further decreased diameter, and a DC transmission system incorporates the cable. The superconducting cable has a structure in which two cable cores, each having a superconducting conductor layer and an outer superconducting layer, are twisted together and housed in a heat-insulated pipe. Each cable core has a former, superconducting conductor layer, insulating layer, outer superconducting layer, and a protecting layer in this order from the center. In unipolar transmission, the superconducting conductor layers of both cores are used as the outward line and the outer superconducting layers of both cores as the return line. In bipolar transmission, the superconducting conductor layer of one core is used for the transmission for the positive pole, the superconducting conductor layer of the other core is used for the transmission for the negative pole, and the outer superconducting layers of both cores are used as the neutral-line layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayuki Hirose
  • Publication number: 20110105336
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a rare earth element oxide superconductive wire material improved in orientation by forming the bed layer by the MOD method. In the superconductive wire material (10) produced by forming a MOD-CZO layer (2), an IBS-GZO (3), an IBAD-MgO layer (4), a LMO layer (5), a PLD-CeO2 layer (6) and a PLD-GdBCO superconductive layer (8) in this order on an electropolished substrate (1) in an oxygen atmosphere, the CeO2 layer has a value of ??=4.2 degrees, which is almost the same as in the case of using a mechanically polished substrate, and the GdBCO super conductive layer has a value of Ic=243 A (Jc=up to 5 MA/cm2), which is almost the same as in the case of using a mechanically polished substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: International Superconductivity Technology Center, The Juridical Foundation
    Inventors: Yasuo TAKAHASHI, Masateru YOSHIZUMI, Teruo IZUMI
  • Patent number: 7928182
    Abstract: An organic composition including a) a glycerol polycarbonate of the formula: in which m is equal to at least 2, and has a value from 2 to 100; b) a glycerol of formula: in which n and p are each equal to at least 2, each having a value from 2 to 150; and c) a [(?-hydroxymethyl) oxyethylene (?-hydroxymethyl) ethylene carbonate)] copolymer of the formula: in which x is equal to at least 2 and has a value between 2 and 100, y is equal to at least 2 and has a value between 2 and 100 and q is equal to at least 2 and has a value between 2 and 100.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignees: Condat S.A., INRA (Institut National de Recherche Agronomique), INPT (Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse)
    Inventors: Nguyen T. Dinh, Zéphirin Mouloungui, Philippe Marechal
  • Patent number: 7910521
    Abstract: A coated conductor with simplified layer architecture includes a biaxial textured substrate, a template buffer layer composed of a material having the general formula RE2?xB2+xO7 with RE being at least one lanthanoid metal, B being at least one metal selected from Zr and Hf and ?0.4?x?+0.7, where the superconductor layer is obtainable by hybrid liquid phase epitaxy and can be deposited directly onto the template buffer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Inventors: Dirk Isfort, Joachim Bock, Judith Louise Driscoll, Ahmed Kursumovic
  • Patent number: 7902461
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas C. Folts, James Maguire, Jie Yuan, Alexis P. Malozemoff
  • Patent number: 7902120
    Abstract: Superconductor wires or layers having improved properties and methods for making the same are described. The superconducting layer includes a rare earth element-alkaline earth element-transition metal oxide having an average stacking fault density that is greater than about 0.01 nm?1, wherein two or more rare earth cations form the rare earth element. To form the superconductor layer of the present invention, a layer having a rare earth element-alkaline earth element-transition metal oxide substantially in a first crystal structure can be provided to a substrate where two or more rare earth cations form the rare earth element. The layer can then be heated at a temperature that is greater than 550° C. under oxidizing conditions to form a high-temperature superconducting layer substantially in a second crystal structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Martin W. Rupich, Wei Zhang, Yibing Huang, Xiaoping Li
  • Patent number: 7893006
    Abstract: Under one aspect, a method of making a superconductor wire includes providing an oxide superconductor layer overlaying a substrate; forming a substantially continuous barrier layer over the oxide superconductor layer, the barrier layer including metal; depositing a layer of metal particles over the barrier layer, said depositing including applying a liquid including metal particles over the barrier layer; and sintering the layer of metal particles to form a substantially continuous metal layer over the barrier layer. In one or more embodiments, the oxide superconductor layer is oxygen-deficient, and the method may include oxidizing the oxygen-deficient oxide superconductor layer. At least a portion of the sintering and the oxidizing may occur simultaneously, for example by performing them at an oxygen partial pressure and a temperature sufficient to both sinter the metal particles and to oxidize the oxygen-deficient oxide superconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Yibing Huang, Thomas Kodenkandath, Joseph Lynch, Martin W. Rupich, Wei Zhang
  • Patent number: 7887644
    Abstract: The invention relates to a composite (1), comprising a Cu—Sn bronze matrix (2) and filaments (3) surrounded by the bronze matrix (2), wherein the filaments (3) contain niobium (?Nb) or a Nb alloy, characterized in that the filaments (3) contain between 0.3% and 20% of volume of copper (?Cu) substructures (4), which are distributed within the Nb or the Nb alloy. The composite can be used to produce a superconducting element with the bronze route which has an improved critical current density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Bruker Biospin AG
    Inventors: René Flükiger, Daniel Eckert
  • Publication number: 20110028327
    Abstract: A superconducting circuit including a superconducting joint that joints a niobium titanium superconducting wire having a structure where a filament made of niobium titanium alloy is arranged in a matrix made of copper or copper alloy and other superconducting wire, in which a volume ratio or a surface density of an ?-Ti precipitation in the niobium titanium alloy of the filament in the superconducting joint is smaller than the volume ratio or the surface density of the ?-Ti precipitation in the niobium titanium alloy of the filament in the niobium titanium superconducting wire in a portion other than the superconducting joint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Motomune Kodama, Michiya Okada, Masaya Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7879762
    Abstract: A superconductor has a conductive path with a metallic substrate strip, a super-conductive layer made of a AB2CU3Ox type high-Tc-super conductive material, at least one insulating buffer layer which is arranged therebetween, and a metallic cover layer which is arranged thereon. At least one contacting element made of a normal conductive contacting material and arranged at least on one longitudinal side of the structure between the cover layer and the substrate strip enables a predetermined normally conductive limitation of the current-limiting device to be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Krämer, Wolfgang Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7863221
    Abstract: For producing the superconducting material MgB2, a shapeable master alloy containing Mg and B, as well as at least one additional constituent, an LiMgB alloy is.1 The process permits the production of shaped elements of MgB2, for example by forging, casting, drawing, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Eidenossische Technische Hochschule Zurich
    Inventors: Juan Matias Reinoso, Frank Ottinger, Michael Woerle, Reinhard Nesper
  • Patent number: 7840245
    Abstract: There is provided a superconductive cable capable of absorbing an amount of contracting a superconductive wire member in cooling by a simple constitution. A superconductive cable according to the invention is a cable including a superconductive wire member constituting a superconductive layer (a conductor layer 13, a return line conductor 17) by being wound spirally, a stress relaxation layer (an inner side stress relaxation layer 12, and insulating layer/outer side stress relaxation layer 16) provided on an inner side of the superconductive layer, and a cable constituting member (a former 11) provided on an inner side of the stress relaxation layer. The cable is constituted to absorb an amount of contracting the superconductive layer in accordance with cooling the superconductive wire member by a refrigerant in a diameter direction by the stress relaxation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayuki Hirose