Abstract: A system and method for cooling a superconductive rotor coil. The system comprises a rotatable shaft coupled to the superconductive rotor coil. The rotatable shaft may comprise an axial passageway extending through the rotatable shaft and a first passageway extending through a wall of the rotatable shaft to the axial passageway. The axial passageway and the first passageway are operable to convey a cryogenic fluid to the superconductive rotor coil through the wall of the rotatable shaft. A cryogenic transfer coupling may be provided to supply cryogenic fluid to the first passageway.

Abstract: A fluid transfer device and a method for conveying a fluid from a fluid transfer device to a rotating member are provided. The fluid transfer device includes a housing disposed around a first rotating member extending along an axis. The housing has a first plurality of apertures extending therethrough that communicate with the fluid source. The first rotating member has a second plurality of passageways extending from a first exterior surface of the first rotating member to a third passageway extending generally axially within the first rotating member. Further, at least a portion of the second plurality of passageways communicate with at least a portion of the first plurality of apertures, wherein the fluid flows through the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of passageways to the third passageway in the first rotating member.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is method for making a wire comprising contacting a first end of a first superconducting wire with a second end of a second superconducting wire, wherein the superconducting wire comprises a superconducting filament having a superconducting composition comprising magnesium diboride; heating the first end of the first superconducting wire with the second end of the second superconducting wire at a point to form a joint, wherein the superconducting filament having the superconducting composition is in continuous electrical contact with any other part of the superconducting filament after the formation of the joint.

Abstract: A vertically-aligned open MRI magnet system includes first and second (i.e., top and bottom) assemblies each having a longitudinally-extending and vertically-aligned axis, a superconductive main coil, and a vacuum enclosure enclosing the main coil. At least one support beam has a first end attached to the first assembly and has a second end attached to the second assembly. A vibration isolation system supports the magnet system.

Abstract: A magnetizing coil unit and a method of making a magnetizing coil unit is provided. The coil includes a solenoid coil having a coiled copper sheet in which the width of the copper sheet is equal to the height of the solenoid coil. A magnetizing assembly includes a plurality of magnetizing coil units.

Abstract: A winding of an electric machine is provided, where the winding includes at least one series of serially connected AC bars. Each AC bar includes a series of serially connected turns formed by litz wire having a plurality of strands, and at least one cooling tube. Individual strands of the plurality of strands are respectively positioned substantially adjacent to the at least one cooling tube at at least one transfer point for providing heat transfer from the respective individual strands to the at least one cooling tube.

Abstract: A permanent magnet assembly comprising a fixed permanent magnet body and a movable permanent magnet body which is movable relative to the fixed permanent magnet body.

Abstract: A rotating machine comprising a superconductive coil and a temperature sensor operable to provide a signal representative of superconductive coil temperature. The rotating machine may comprise a control system communicatively coupled to the temperature sensor. The control system may be operable to reduce electric current in the superconductive coil when a signal representative of a defined superconducting coil temperature is received from the temperature sensor.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus, such as an MRI system, contains at least one layer of soft magnetic material between the yoke and each permanent magnet. This imaging apparatus may be operated without pole pieces due to the presence of the soft magnetic material. The permanent magnets may be fabricated by magnetizing unmagnetized alloy bodies after the unmagnetized alloy bodies have been attached to the yoke.

Abstract: A structure for superconducting magnets is provided. The structure includes a thermally conductive electrically resistive composite bobbin, a superconducting coil disposed around the thermally conductive electrically resistive composite bobbin for conducting current in a superconductive state. The structure also includes an electrically open cryogenic coil disposed on the thermally conductive composite electrically resistive bobbin, which can receive a flow of cryogenic fluid to maintain the superconducting coil in the superconductive state by transfer of heat from the superconducting coil to the electrically open cryogenic coil through the thermally conductive electrically resistive composite bobbin.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus, such as an MRI system, contains at least one layer of soft magnetic material between the yoke and each permanent magnet. This imaging apparatus may be operated without pole pieces due to the presence of the soft magnetic material. The permanent magnets may be fabricated by magnetizing unmagnetized alloy bodies after the unmagnetized alloy bodies have been attached to the yoke.

Abstract: A racetrack shaped high temperature superconducting (HTS) coil is fabricated by layer winding HTS tape under tension on a precision coil form with a binder such as pre-preg filament-ply interlayer insulation. The coil form includes a racetrack shaped bobbin, two side plates and a series of blocks that define the outside surface of the coil. The outside surface of the winding is over-wrapped with a copper foil bonded to heat exchanger tubing. The coil is baked in the coil form to cure the epoxy then released from the coil form. The resulting coil structure is a strong winding composite built to close tolerance dimensions.

Abstract: A system and method for protecting a superconductor. The system may comprise a current sensor operable to detect a current flowing through the superconductor. The system may comprise a coolant temperature sensor operable to detect the temperature of a cryogenic coolant used to cool the superconductor to a superconductive state. The control circuit is operable to estimate the superconductor temperature based on the current flow and the coolant temperature. The system may also be operable to compare the estimated superconductor temperature to at least one threshold temperature and to initiate a corrective action when the superconductor temperature exceeds the at least one threshold temperature.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating electricity using a stationary superconducting field coil and a stator winding are provided. The method includes creating a magnetic field with the field coil, and rotating a homopolar rotor within the magnetic field such that a rotating magnetic field is created in the stationary stator winding by an interaction of a rotating permeance wave produced by the rotating rotor and the magnetic field produced by the stationary field coil. The apparatus includes a stator core that includes a plurality of axial grooves, and a plurality of stator windings positioned within the grooves, a rotor including at least one set of salient pole pieces coupled to a shaft, each of the set of pole pieces for generating a rotating magnetic field, and a superconducting field coil circumscribing the shaft for generating a magnetic field in each set of pole pieces.

Abstract: A rotor is disclosed for a synchronous machine comprising: a rotor core; a super-conducting coil winding extending around at least a portion of the rotor, said coil winding having a side section adjacent a side of the rotor core; at least one tension rod extending through a conduit in said rotor core; and a housing attached to the tension rod and connected to the side section of the coil winding, wherein the housing comprises a pair of side panels.

Abstract: An electrical motor/generator is provided with at least one of a superconducting rotor, a stator including dovetailed winding dividers, and a stator cooling arrangement with at least one cooling tube per winding slot positioned such that each armature winding is thermally coupled to at least one cooling tube.

Abstract: A rotor for a synchronous machine is disclosed including a rotor core; a super-conducting coil winding extending around the rotor core, the coil winding having a coil end section adjacent an end of the rotor core, and a coil support bracing the end section and being thermally isolated from the rotor core.

Abstract: A vertically-aligned open MRI magnet system includes first and second (i.e., top and bottom) assemblies each having a longitudinally-extending and vertically-aligned axis, a superconductive main coil, and a vacuum enclosure enclosing the main coil. At least one support beam has a first end attached to the first assembly and has a second end attached to the second assembly. A vibration isolation system supports the magnet system.

Abstract: A cooling fluid system is disclosed for providing cryogenic cooling fluid to a high temperature super-conducting rotor comprising: a cryogen storage tank storing a liquid cryogenic cooling fluid; an inlet transfer line connecting the storage tank to the rotor and forming a passage for liquid cooling fluid to pass from the tank to the rotor, wherein said storage tank is elevated above the rotor and the liquid cooling fluid is gravity fed to the rotor at a rate determined by a valve in the inlet transfer line.

Abstract: A method of making a permanent magnet body is provided. The method includes providing a first precursor body comprising a plurality of blocks and magnetizing the first precursor body to form a first permanent magnet body. A recoil magnetization pulse may be applied to the permanent magnet body after the magnetization. The precursor body may be heated during magnetization. A power supply containing a battery may be used to energize a pulsed magnet used to magnetize the precursor body.