Abstract: A dielectric material with heat transfer properties includes a first fluid and a second fluid different from the first fluid and miscible with the first fluid. The first fluid and the second fluid are mixed with each other so as to form a mixture and are kept at a temperature and a pressure so that the mixture is maintained in a supercritical phase. The mixture has at least one parameter that is preferably different from a corresponding parameter in both a supercritical phase of the first fluid and a supercritical phase of the second fluid. In a method of insulating electrical contacts and removing heat therefrom, the mixture is disposed about the electrical contacts and is maintained at a temperature and at a pressure that causes the mixture to be in a supercritical phase so that the mixture has favorable dielectric and heat transfer properties.

Abstract: A dielectric material with heat transfer properties includes a first fluid and a second fluid different from the first fluid and miscible with the first fluid. The first fluid and the second fluid are mixed with each other so as to form a mixture and are kept at a temperature and a pressure so that the mixture is maintained in a supercritical phase. The mixture has at least one parameter that is preferably different from a corresponding parameter in both a supercritical phase of the first fluid and a supercritical phase of the second fluid. In a method of insulating electrical contacts and removing heat therefrom, the mixture is disposed about the electrical contacts and is maintained at a temperature and at a pressure that causes the mixture to be in a supercritical phase so that the mixture has favorable dielectric and heat transfer properties.

Abstract: Exemplary air breathing plasma jet engine and method of operation that can be used in electrically powered aircraft and spacecraft as a hybrid between a turbo jet engine and a ramjet or supersonic sonic ramjet (SCRAMJET) engine. The air breathing plasma jet engine includes a compression stage that is configured to compress and slow down incoming air. The compressor can be driven by a high RPM electric motor. The compression stage generates compressed and heated air flow that is passed to a plasma chamber that is configured to add heat to the compressed and heated air flow. The heat are converted to an impulse, e.g., using a converging-diverging (De Laval) nozzle. The system is beneficially configured to reuse the heat byproduct generated in the compression stage.

Abstract: An exemplary air-breathing plasma engine and methods of operation are disclosed employing an arc plasma chamber that generates plasma, e.g., electrode-coupled, direct current plasma, via electrodes continuously fed by an electrode-feeding assembly. The plasma chamber can be implemented in any one of the stages following the compression stage and having high-pressure and high-velocity air flow, e.g., for a jet engine, turbojet engine, or rocket engine.

Abstract: An example method of estimating an arc duration in a circuit breaker includes receiving a first measurement corresponding to a low-frequency electric field emitted from a vacuum circuit breaker during an interruption or circuit break operation and a second measurement corresponding to a low-frequency magnetic field, vibration, or acoustic emitted by the vacuum circuit breaker during operation, aligning the first measurement and the second measurement in time, wherein the first measurement is calibrated according to a first physical constant and wherein the second measurement is calibrated according to a second physical constant; and determining, by a sensor-fusion algorithm or a trained AI model, an estimated duration value of an arc duration using the time-aligned first measurement and second measurement, wherein the arc duration corresponds to a first time corresponding to a separation of contacts of the vacuum circuit breaker and a second time corresponding to arc extinction.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are cryogenic wires and methods of making and use thereof. For example, disclosed herein are cryogenic wires comprising a conductor having a mass density of 5000 kg/m3 or less; and a cladding material disposed around the conductor, the cladding material comprising a ductile and malleable metal, wherein the conductor comprises lithium, beryllium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, titanium, or a combination thereof. In some examples, the conductor comprises lithium or an alloy thereof, beryllium or an alloy thereof, calcium or an alloy thereof, sodium or an alloy thereof, magnesium or an alloy thereof, titanium or an alloy thereof, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: In examples, provided are leadless power couplers that include (1) a thermal insulating system having an outer wall and an inner wall, (2) a first electrically conductive winding located outside the thermal insulating system, where the first electrically conductive winding is configured to create a varying magnetic field, (3) a plurality of second electrically conductive windings located inside the thermal insulating system and configured to couple to the varying magnetic field, the plurality of second electrically conductive windings being superconductors, (4) a plurality of cryogenic rectifiers, each cryogenic rectifier being coupled to a respective second electrically conductive winding in the plurality of second electrically conductive windings, and (5) a plurality of cryogenic cables coupled between respective outputs of the plurality of cryogenic rectifiers and respective loads.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein can generally include electrical contacts for high voltage, high current, and/or fast acting electromechanical switches and methods for manufacturing the same. The electrical contacts can be optimized for high voltage blocking capabilities with minimal gap spacing in the open state and low electrical resistance when in contact in the closed state. Electrical contacts can have a geometry to produce a low peak electric field between the contacts when in the open state, have a high contact surface area when in the closed state, and a low mass. The geometry of the contacts can be based on geometries traditionally utilized for uniform field electrodes.

Abstract: A dielectric material with heat transfer properties includes a first fluid and a second fluid different from the first fluid and miscible with the first fluid. The first fluid and the second fluid are mixed with each other so as to form a mixture and are kept at a temperature and a pressure so that the mixture is maintained in a supercritical phase. The mixture has at least one parameter that is preferably different from a corresponding parameter in both a supercritical phase of the first fluid and a supercritical phase of the second fluid. In a method of insulating electrical contacts and removing heat therefrom, the mixture is disposed about the electrical contacts and is maintained at a temperature and at a pressure that causes the mixture to be in a supercritical phase so that the mixture has favorable dielectric and heat transfer properties.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein can generally include electrical contacts for high voltage, high current, and/or fast acting electromechanical switches and methods for manufacturing the same. The electrical contacts can be optimized for high voltage blocking capabilities with minimal gap spacing in the open state and low electrical resistance when in contact in the closed state. Electrical contacts can have a geometry to produce a low peak electric field between the contacts when in the open state, have a high contact surface area when in the closed state, and a low mass. The geometry of the contacts can be based on geometries traditionally utilized for uniform field electrodes.

Abstract: An ultrafast electromechanical switch having a drive mechanism comprising three non-movable contacts, an actuator and two movable contacts. The switch further including a switching chamber to provide a self-contained environment that may consist of a high-pressure gas or a vacuum and one or more precision adjustment screws coupled to the non-movable contacts for adjusting the contact pressure. The provided ultrafast electrical (e.g., transfer, disconnect, etc.) switch is simple, compact, clean, exhibits ultralow loss, does not require high energy to operate and is capable of being automatically reset.

Abstract: An ultrafast electromechanical switch having a drive mechanism comprising two non-movable contacts connected to electrical feedthroughs, one actuator and one movable contact. The provided ultrafast electrical (e.g., transfer, disconnect, etc.) switch is simple, compact, clean, exhibits ultralow loss, does not require high energy to operate and is capable of being automatically reset.

Abstract: An ultrafast electromechanical switch having a drive mechanism comprising three non-movable contacts, an actuator and two movable contacts. The switch further including one or more precision adjustment screws coupled to the non-movable contacts for adjusting the contact pressure. The provided ultrafast electrical (e.g., transfer, disconnect, etc.) switch is simple, compact, clean, exhibits ultralow loss, does not require high energy to operate and is capable of being automatically reset.

Abstract: An ultrafast electromechanical switch having a drive mechanism comprising three non-movable contacts, an actuator, two movable contacts and a first and second mounting plate forming an elliptical shell configuration about said actuator. The switch further including a switching chamber to provide a self-contained environment that may consist of a high-pressure gas or a vacuum and one or more precision adjustment screws coupled to the non-movable contacts for adjusting the contact pressure. The provided ultrafast electrical (e.g., transfer, disconnect, etc.) switch is simple, compact, clean, exhibits ultralow loss, does not require high energy to operate and is capable of being automatically reset.

Abstract: A system and method for electrical tree simulation based on a modification of a discharge avalanche model with an application of a charge simulation method to determine partial discharge data during the growth of electrical trees in an insulation system and a method of using the model to determine the remaining useful life of an insulation system.

Abstract: An ultrafast electromechanical switch having a drive mechanism comprising two non-movable contacts connected to electrical feedthroughs, one actuator and one movable contact. The provided ultrafast electrical (e.g., transfer, disconnect, etc.) switch is simple, compact, clean, exhibits ultralow loss, does not require high energy to operate and is capable of being automatically reset.

Abstract: An ultrafast electromechanical switch having a drive mechanism comprising three non-movable contacts, an actuator and two movable contacts. The switch further including one or more precision adjustment screws coupled to the non-movable contacts for adjusting the contact pressure. The provided ultrafast electrical (e.g., transfer, disconnect, etc.) switch is simple, compact, clean, exhibits ultralow loss, does not require high energy to operate and is capable of being automatically reset.

Abstract: An ultrafast electromechanical switch having a drive mechanism comprising three non-movable contacts, an actuator and two movable contacts. The switch further including a switching chamber to provide a self-contained environment that may consist of a high-pressure gas or a vacuum and one or more precision adjustment screws coupled to the non-movable contacts for adjusting the contact pressure. The provided ultrafast electrical (e.g., transfer, disconnect, etc.) switch is simple, compact, clean, exhibits ultralow loss, does not require high energy to operate and is capable of being automatically reset.

Abstract: An ultrafast electromechanical switch having a drive mechanism comprising three non-movable contacts, an actuator, two movable contacts and a first and second mounting plate forming an elliptical shell configuration about said actuator. The switch further including a switching chamber to provide a self-contained environment that may consist of a high-pressure gas or a vacuum and one or more precision adjustment screws coupled to the non-movable contacts for adjusting the contact pressure. The provided ultrafast electrical (e.g., transfer, disconnect, etc.) switch is simple, compact, clean, exhibits ultralow loss, does not require high energy to operate and is capable of being automatically reset.

Abstract: An ultrafast electrical (e.g., transfer, disconnect, etc.) switch that is simple, compact, does not require high energy to operate, ultralow loss, clean, and capable of being automatically reset. The invention includes a fast electromechanical switch having a drive mechanism integrated into the switching chamber. The integration of the drive mechanism into the switching chamber provides faster contact travel and therefore a faster switching operation. Additionally, the switching chamber is a self-contained environment that may consist of a high-pressure gas or a vacuum. The invention further includes an ultrafast disconnect switch. The invention generally is an integrated piezoelectric-actuator-based mechanical switching mechanism. The mechanism has a central piezoelectric actuator that extends to pull contacts inwards in order to obtain two disconnects within a millisecond or less. Surrounding the piezoelectric actuator is a polymer insulating shell and beyond the shell is the metallic conductor.