Including Superconductivity Patents (Class 361/141)
  • Patent number: 11776738
    Abstract: A shield for a cryogenic chamber and a cryogenic chamber comprising a shield are described. In an example embodiment, a cryogenic chamber comprises an interior housing comprising housing walls that define an action chamber. The action chamber is configured to be cryogenically cooled to an action temperature. The cryogenic chamber further comprises an interior shield at least partially sandwiched within the housing walls. The interior shield is made of a first material that acts as a superconductor at the action temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Quantinuum LLC
    Inventors: C. Spencer Nichols, Chad Langness, Adam Dally, James Goeders
  • Patent number: 11346906
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance system may include a magnetic resonance magnet and a storage container configured to accommodate the magnetic resonance magnet. The storage container may also contain an endothermic liquid. The magnetic resonance system may further include a ramping-down device configured to trigger releasing electric energy by the magnetic resonance magnet. The first ramping-down device may include an electric energy consumption device configured to consume at least a portion of the released electric energy by the magnetic resonance magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jianfeng Liu
  • Patent number: 10971927
    Abstract: There is described a device for controlling an amount of current within a power distribution network by manipulating the amount of magnetic flux in the device and thus the impedance experienced by the power distribution network across the device. This is achieved by winding a plurality of coils about a magnetically permeable core and by providing the device with a magnetically permeable bridge element that is movable between a fully-open position at which the net magnetic flux generated in the core by alternating currents in each coil is zero, and a fully-closed position at which a net magnetic flux is present in the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Chandana J Gajanayake, Pradip Chatterjee, Michael A Zagrodnik
  • Patent number: 10838030
    Abstract: An examination system including a magnetic resonance scanner having a solenoid for generating a magnetic field, the solenoid surrounding an examination chamber is provided. In addition, a first X-ray source and a first X-ray detector are provided in the examination chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
    Inventors: Oliver Heid, Jürgen Heller, Timothy Hughes, Michael Kleemann
  • Patent number: 10746826
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance system may include a magnetic resonance magnet and a storage container configured to accommodate the magnetic resonance magnet. The storage container may also contain an endothermic liquid. The magnetic resonance system may further include a ramping-down device configured to trigger releasing electric energy by the magnetic resonance magnet. The first ramping-down device may include an electric energy consumption device configured to consume at least a portion of the released electric energy by the magnetic resonance magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jianfeng Liu
  • Patent number: 10746829
    Abstract: An examination system including a magnetic resonance scanner having a solenoid for generating a magnetic field, the solenoid surrounding an examination chamber is provided. In addition, a first X-ray source and a first X-ray detector are provided in the examination chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
    Inventors: Oliver Heid, Jürgen Heller, Timothy Hughes, Michael Kleemann
  • Patent number: 10665635
    Abstract: A tunable qubit device includes a tunable qubit, the tunable qubit including a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) loop. The tunable qubit device further includes a superconducting loop inductively coupled to the SQUID loop, and a flux bias line inductively coupled to the superconducting loop. The superconducting loop includes a superconducting material having a critical temperature that is a lower temperature than a critical temperature of any superconducting material of the tunable qubit. In operation, the superconducting loop provides a persistent bias to the tunable qubit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Martin O. Sandberg, Sami Rosenblatt, Rasit O. Topaloglu
  • Patent number: 10586638
    Abstract: A quench protection apparatus includes a number N of superconducting coils and a heater matrix. The number N of superconducting coils are electrically coupled in series. The heater matrix module includes the number N of heater units. The number N of heater units is electrically coupled in parallel with the number N of superconducting coils respectively. A number M of the heater units each includes at least the number N of heaters. Each superconducting coil is thermally coupled with at least one heater of each of the number M of the heater units. The number of N-M of the heater units each includes at least one heater. Each of the number M of superconducting coils correspondingly coupled with the number M of the heater units is thermally coupled with at least one heater of each of the number N-M of the heater units. A superconducting magnet system protected by above quench protection apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Minfeng Xu, Evangelos Laskaris, Weijun Shen, Jianshe Wang, Anbo Wu, Ye Bai, Yunxing Song
  • Patent number: 10516261
    Abstract: An item of interconnection equipment for a high-voltage DC grid includes first and second terminals for connection to first and second lines of a high-voltage DC grid, a third terminal for connection to a local station or a line of the high-voltage grid, a node connected to the first to third terminals, a first superconductor current limiter and a first controlled switch connected in series between the first terminal and the node, a second superconductor current limiter and a second controlled switch connected in series between the second terminal and the node, a third superconductor current limiter and a third controlled switch connected in series between the third terminal and the node, and a current injector configured to inject an electrical current into the node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignees: SUPERGRID INSTITUTE, INSTITUT POLYTECHNIQUE DE GRENOBLE, UNIVERSITE GRENOBLE ALPES
    Inventors: William Leon Garcia, Alberto Bertinato, Pascal Tixador, Bertrand Raison, Bruno Luscan
  • Patent number: 10197647
    Abstract: An adaptive passive quench propagation circuit in combination with a superconducting magnet having multiple superconducting coils electrically connected in series between a power supply terminal and a ground reference voltage terminal, has a superconducting switch arranged to electrically connect the power supply terminal and the ground reference voltage terminal to provide a closed-loop persistent superconducting circuit, multiple resistive heaters, each in thermal contact with one of the coils, a tapping point situated between two electrically adjacent coils, and a quench propagation circuit connected between the tapping point and a reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Limited
    Inventor: Hugh Alexander Blakes
  • Patent number: 10128030
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet coil system with high resistance to quench events includes a first coil portion (1) with a first superconducting material and a second coil portion (2) with a second superconducting material. The first superconducting material has a higher critical temperature than the second superconducting material. The first and the second coil portions are bridged by a common quench protection element (6) and together with the quench protection element form a first loop. The magnet coil system also includes a third coil portion (3) which is part of a second electrical loop with a second quench protection element (8, 8?, 8?)as well as a heating element (9) which is supplied with a heating voltage in response to a quench of the third coil portion. Among the series connected coil portions (1, 2) only the second coil portion is in thermal contact with the first heating element (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: BRUKER BIOSPIN GMBH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Frantz, Patrick Wikus
  • Patent number: 10069294
    Abstract: An apparatus (100) for quenching at least part (110) of a superconductor in a superconducting state in reply to a quench signal to initiate a transition from the superconducting state into a normal-conducting state comprises: means (120) for providing an alternating (AC) current of a predetermined strength and/or predetermined frequency to the at least part (110) of the superconductor, wherein the means (120) for providing the AC current comprises a control terminal (130) configured to receive the quench signal. The means (120) for providing the AC current is configured to be activated in response of receiving the quench signal at the control terminal (130) so that the AC current flows through the at least part (110) of the superconductor, wherein the predetermined strength and/or the predetermined frequency is selected such that the transition from the superconducting state into a normal-conducting state is triggered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: CERN—EUROPEAN ORGANIZATION FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH
    Inventors: Glyn Alistair Kirby, Vladimir Datskov, Emmanuele Ravaioli
  • Patent number: 9799433
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet includes a superconducting coil, a refrigerant container, a radiation shield, a vacuum container, a refrigerating machine cooling an interior of the refrigerant container, a tubular current lead passing from outside of the vacuum container to inside of the refrigerant container electrically connected to the superconducting coil, a power source electrically connected to the current lead, a manometer measuring a pressure inside of the refrigerant container, a thermometer to measure a temperature of the current lead, and a control unit connected to each of the power source, the manometer, and the thermometer. The control unit raises an output of the power source to vary a value of a current flowing into superconducting coil only when a measurement value of the manometer is higher than or equal to a set value and a measurement value of the thermometer is lower than or equal to a set value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Eguchi, Shoichi Yokoyama, Hajime Tamura, Tatsuya Inoue
  • Patent number: 9799435
    Abstract: The present invention is a superconducting partial insulation magnet and a method for providing the same. The magnet includes a coil with a non-insulated superconducting wire winding wound around a bobbin. The coil has a first wire layer, a second wire layer substantially surrounding the first layer, and a first layer of insulating material disposed between the first wire layer and the second wire layer. Each wire layer comprises a plurality of turns, and the first layer of insulating material substantially insulates the second wire layer from the first wire layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Seungyong Hahn, YoungJae Kim, John Peter Voccio, Juan Bascunan, Yukikazu Iwasa
  • Patent number: 9322891
    Abstract: A local coil for an imaging system includes a number of shim coils. A current for generating a shim field in one of the shim coils may be switched on and switched off. A current for generating a shim field in another of the shim coils may be switched on and switched off. The currents may be switched on and switched off independently of one another for generating a respective shim field in the shim coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Stephan Biber
  • Patent number: 9324486
    Abstract: The present invention is a superconducting partial insulation magnet and a method for providing the same. The magnet includes a coil with a non-insulated superconducting wire winding wound around a bobbin. The coil has a first wire layer, a second wire layer substantially surrounding the first layer, and a first layer of insulating material disposed between the first wire layer and the second wire layer. Each wire layer comprises a plurality of turns, and the first layer of insulating material substantially insulates the second wire layer from the first wire layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Seungyong Hahn, YoungJae Kim, John Peter Voccio, Juan Bascunan, Yukikazu Iwasa
  • Patent number: 8885344
    Abstract: A terminal board is electrically connected to a module terminal of a semiconductor module. The semiconductor module and a cooling unit are laminated on the terminal board. A spring member is disposed on the semiconductor module and the cooling unit. A spring support tool is disposed on the spring member in order to apply, to the spring member, an urging force for pressing the semiconductor module and the cooling unit against the terminal board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Hideki Asakura, Daijiro Noda, Kazuo Kayano
  • Patent number: 8739396
    Abstract: Several embodiments of a novel technique for limiting transmission of fault current are disclosed. Current power distribution systems typically have an impedance, or reactor, on the output of the network equipment to limit current in the case of a fault condition. A low resistance switch, which changes its resistance in the presence of high current, is connected in parallel with this reactor. Thus, in normal operation, the current from the power generator bypasses the reactor, thereby minimizing power loss. However, in the presence of a fault, the resistance of the switch increases, forcing the current to pass through the reactor, thereby limiting the fault current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul J. Murphy
  • Patent number: 8724324
    Abstract: A rectifier comprising an electrically conductive support 32, a first plurality of rectifier components 24 carried by the support 32 and having their anodes connected to a first bus bar 26, a second plurality of rectifier components 28 carried by the support 32 and having their cathodes connected to a second bus bar 30, the cathode of each of the first rectifier components 24 being connected to the anode of an associated one of the second rectifier components 28, and first and second resistance paths 40, 42 between the first and second bus bars 26, 30 and the support 32.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Goodrich Control Systems
    Inventors: Sepideh Ford, Lyndon Paul Fountain, Raymond Richard Bomford, Mark Wesley Bailey
  • Patent number: 8699199
    Abstract: A portable magnet power supply for a superconducting magnet includes apparatus for the storage of energy released from a superconducting magnet, the apparatus having an electrical run-down load for connection across the electrical terminals of a superconducting magnet; and a heat storage material in thermal contact with the run-down load; and a method for use thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Plc.
    Inventor: Hugh Alexander Blakes
  • Patent number: 8687357
    Abstract: An electric power converter includes a cooler and an electronic circuit. The cooler includes a heat sink, a cooling fan, and a wind tunnel. A plurality of radiator fins are provided on a heat-sink base in the heat sink. The cooling fan is configured to feed cooling air through the plurality of radiator fins. The wind tunnel covers the plurality of radiator fins and the cooling fan. The electronic circuit includes a plurality of rectifiers and a plurality of input terminals. The plurality of rectifiers are provided on a side of the heat-sink base opposite to the plurality of radiator fins and are arranged side by side in a longitudinal direction of the heat-sink base. The plurality of input terminals are connected to the plurality of rectifiers with band-shaped conductors and are provided on a side of the plurality of rectifiers opposite to the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Sumiaki Nagano, Tomohiro Shigeno, Toshiaki Fujiki
  • Patent number: 8482369
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet assembly is provided that includes a magnet protection system electrically coupled to a plurality of magnet coils to form a closed loop circuit. The magnet protection system includes a single superconducting switch to selectively connect a power supply to the plurality of magnet coils and also includes a plurality of dump resistors arranged to form a resistor ladder circuit, with each of the plurality of dump resistors being connected between magnet coils forming a respective symmetric coil pair. The magnet protection system also includes a heater network connected between ends of the closed loop circuit and to the plurality of magnet coils, with the heater network configured to perform a quench-back operation to protect the plurality of magnet coils during quench and being driven by a partial-magnet coil voltage generated in a magnet coil upon initiation of a quench condition in the magnet coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jian-She Wang, Andrei G. Baikalov, Timothy John Bergfeld
  • Publication number: 20130083443
    Abstract: A magnetic shielding arrangement, including: at least one magnetic flux source; a superconductor magnetic shield at least partially surrounding the magnetic flux source; a second shield at least partially surrounding the superconductor magnetic shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
  • Patent number: 8400747
    Abstract: In a superconducting coil, a parallel conductor includes a plurality of superconducting wires bundled and wound in a coil. The superconducting wires have at least two connections therebetween. A current source connected to the superconducting wires to form a loop via the superconducting wires and the connection to supply a current in the loop when a quench is detected. A superconducting magnet includes the superconducting coil, a persistent current switch connected to the superconducting coil, and a quench detector configured to detect quench occurring in the superconducting coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yota Ichiki, Tsuyoshi Wakuda, Minseok Park
  • Patent number: 8345392
    Abstract: An energy dissipation arrangement for a cryogenically cooled superconductive magnet comprising a plurality of superconductive coils (10) connected in series and housed within a cryostat (24), comprising a superconducting switch (25) having a superconductive current path (28) in series with the superconductive coils (10); and a resistor (38), external to the cryostat, electrically connected in parallel with the superconductive current path (28) of the superconducting switch (25). The superconductive switch is arranged (26, 32, 30) to open in response to an electric current applied to an associated heater (26; 40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Plc
    Inventor: Hugh Alexander Blakes
  • Patent number: 8305726
    Abstract: A method for progressively introducing current into, or removing current from, a superconducting coil mounted on a former, in which the coil vibrates relative to the former.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Plc
    Inventors: Hugh Alexander Blakes, Russell Peter Gore, Marcel Jan Marie Kruip, Robert Slade
  • Patent number: 8174803
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system (100) for creating a magnetic field via a superconducting magnet (102) intended to produce said magnetic field. The system (100) according to the invention comprises a first branch including the superconducting magnet (102) formed by a coil inductance (L?) in series with a residual resistance (R?2), a second branch comprising a protection resistance (R?3) and a third branch comprising a power source (103). Furthermore, the system comprises a fourth branch formed by a resistance (R?1) mounted in series with a current-limiting superconducting device (106) switching from a low-resistance state to a high-resistance state when the current passing therethrough exceeds a breaking current, said first, second, third and fourth branches being mounted in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignees: Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
    Inventors: Thierry Schild, André Donati, Armand Sinanna, Pascal Tixador, Stéphane Bermond
  • Patent number: 8169756
    Abstract: An alternating current system 10 has a primary circuit 11 which forms a primary winding 18 on a core 16. A secondary winding 24 is connected with a current source 26 or, alternatively, with an impedance 60. The core 16 is threaded by a superconducting coil 20 having a current source 22. In normal use, current in the coil 20 provides a DC bias level of flux in the core 16, and the source 26 is varied to maintain substantially constant flux, thereby minimising losses in the primary circuit 11. In fault conditions, current in the coil 20 is reduced or removed to increase voltage losses across the coil 18, thereby limiting fault current. The impedance 60 can also be switched into circuit, creating further current limiting by virtue of the transformer effect of the windings 18, 24.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Stephen M Husband, David R Trainer
  • Patent number: 8138880
    Abstract: An improved persistent current switch design and method of operation are disclosed. By way of example, a persistent current switch circuit comprises a heating element and a switch element located proximate to the heating element, the switch element being substantially formed from a material (by way of example only, titanium) which exhibits a superconducting temperature value below a superconducting temperature value exhibited by a material (by way of example only, aluminum) used to provide a connection to the switch element. The switch element is responsive to the heating element such that the heating element is used to control whether or not the switch element is in a superconducting state. The switch element may also have a folded geometry. Such persistent current switches exhibit low power and low inductance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: George A. Keefe, Roger H. Koch, Inga Koch, legal representative, Frank P. Milliken, Jr., James R. Rozen
  • Patent number: 8107211
    Abstract: A system and method for generating a magnetic field in a rotating machine. In one embodiment, a primary winding assembly is configured to generate a rotatable magnetic field. The assembly is connected to receive multiple signals of different phases to effect field rotation. A set of secondary windings is positioned for generation of current based on magnetic coupling during the field rotation. The secondary windings include conductor capable of supporting superconducting current flow. A rotatable machine includes a stator and a rotor winding coupled for rotation with respect to the stator. The secondary windings are formed in a circuit for providing superconducting current through the rotor winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Advanced Magnet Lab, Inc.
    Inventors: Rainer Meinke, Philippe Masson, Sasha Ishmael
  • Publication number: 20120014030
    Abstract: In a superconducting coil, a parallel conductor includes a plurality of superconducting wires bundled and wound in a coil. The superconducting wires have at least two connections therebetween. A current source connected to the superconducting wires to form a loop via the superconducting wires and the connection to supply a current in the loop when a quench is detected. A superconducting magnet includes the superconducting coil, a persistent current switch connected to the superconducting coil, and a quench detector configured to detect quench occurring in the superconducting coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Yota ICHIKI, Tsuyoshi WAKUDA, Minseok PARK
  • Patent number: 8027139
    Abstract: A system for ramping-down a superconducting magnet includes an electrically conductive lead connectable to a superconducting magnet and a plurality of diode assemblies arranged in series and coupled to the electrically conductive lead. Switches are arranged in parallel with the plurality of diode assemblies, with each switch having a first position and a second position and wherein each switch, when in the first position, forms an electrical short between first and second nodes of a corresponding diode assembly. A controller receives a magnet parameter value indicative of a present state of the superconducting magnet, determines a number of diode assemblies through which current from the electrically conductive lead is desired to pass based on the magnet parameter value, and selectively actuates the switches coupled to the determined number of diode assemblies to the second position to pass current from the superconducting magnet through the determined number of diode assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: James G. Beier
  • Publication number: 20110007445
    Abstract: A portable magnet power supply for a superconducting magnet includes apparatus for the storage of energy released from a superconducting magnet, the apparatus having an electrical run-down load for connection across the electrical terminals of a superconducting magnet; and a heat storage material in thermal contact with the run-down load; and a method for use thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventor: Hugh Alexander Blakes
  • Publication number: 20100284120
    Abstract: A system for ramping-down a superconducting magnet includes an electrically conductive lead connectable to a superconducting magnet and a plurality of diode assemblies arranged in series and coupled to the electrically conductive lead. Switches are arranged in parallel with the plurality of diode assemblies, with each switch having a first position and a second position and wherein each switch, when in the first position, forms an electrical short between first and second nodes of a corresponding diode assembly. A controller receives a magnet parameter value indicative of a present state of the superconducting magnet, determines a number of diode assemblies through which current from the electrically conductive lead is desired to pass based on the magnet parameter value, and selectively actuates the switches coupled to the determined number of diode assemblies to the second position to pass current from the superconducting magnet through the determined number of diode assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Inventor: James G. Beier
  • Publication number: 20100144537
    Abstract: A loss can be reduced upon a current holding operation of a SMES. A superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) system includes a loop composed of a superconducting coil, a thyristor, and a synchronous rectification circuit, and a loop current flow through the loop. In a loop current hold mode, a switching control device of the synchronous rectification circuit turns on the thyristor, and the synchronous rectification circuit compensates for the loop current by rectifying an AC current from an AC power source to generate a DC current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi KAWASHIMA
  • Patent number: 7724483
    Abstract: A system for protecting superconducting generator field coils including a controller configured to monitor for a quenching of a superconducting field coil of a generator and control a dissipation of a current flow in the superconducting field coil in an event of the quenching, and an armature coil of the generator configured to cause the dissipation of the current flow in the superconducting field coil responsive to the controller in the event of the quenching of the superconducting field coil. A method for protecting superconducting generator field coils including monitoring for a quenching of a superconducting field coil of a generator, and dissipating a current flow in the superconducting field coil via an armature coil of the generator in response to a detection of the quenching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James William Bray, Patrick Lee Jansen, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Kiruba Sivasubramaniam
  • Patent number: 7701677
    Abstract: A coil system for inductively heating a superconducting magnet in order to provide an internal energy dump by uniformly quenching a high performance superconducting magnet. The quench-inducing system uses AC magnetic fields that require negligible reactive power. The system is especially suited for inducing a relatively uniform quench in dry superconducting magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Still River Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel Henry Schultz, Leonard Myatt, Leslie Bromberg, Joseph V. Minervini, Timothy Antaya
  • Publication number: 20100046125
    Abstract: An alternating current system 10 has a primary circuit 11 which forms a primary winding 18 on a core 16. A secondary winding 24 is connected with a current source 26 or, alternatively, with an impedance 60. The core 16 is threaded by a superconducting coil 20 having a current source 22. In normal use, current in the coil 20 provides a DC bias level of flux in the core 16, and the source 26 is varied to maintain substantially constant flux, thereby minimising losses in the primary circuit 11. In fault conditions, current in the coil 20 is reduced or removed to increase voltage losses across the coil 18, thereby limiting fault current. The impedance 60 can also be switched into circuit, creating further current limiting by virtue of the transformer effect of the windings 18, 24.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Stephen M. Husband, David R. Trainer
  • Patent number: 7649721
    Abstract: An alternating current system 10 has a primary circuit 11 which forms a primary winding 18 on a core 16. A secondary winding 24 is connected with a current source 26 or, alternatively, with an impedance 60. The core 16 is threaded by a superconducting coil 20 having a current source 22. In normal use, current in the coil 20 provides a DC bias level of flux in the core 16, and the source 26 is varied to maintain substantially constant flux, thereby minimizing losses in the primary circuit 11. In fault conditions, current in the coil 20 is reduced or removed to increase voltage losses across the coil 18, thereby limiting fault current. The impedance 60 can also be switched into circuit, creating further current limiting by virtue of the transformer effect of the windings 18, 24.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Stephen M Husband, David R Trainer
  • Patent number: 7609139
    Abstract: An electromagnet having at least one access port oriented perpendicularly to the electromagnet's central axis. The magnet has a conventional helical winding along its central axis. However, at some point along the length of the axis, the pitch of the helical winding is greatly increased in order to create a region with a comparatively low turn density. One or more ports are provided in this region. These ports provide access from the magnet's central bore to the magnet's exterior. A sample can be placed in the central bore near the ports. A beam traveling down the central bore, or through one of the radial ports, will strike the sample and be scattered in all directions. The ports allow access for instrumentation which is used to evaluate the scattered beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Florida State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Mark D. Bird, Scott T. Bole, Scott R. Gundlach, Jack Toth
  • Patent number: 7606019
    Abstract: A magnet coil system (2) which is at least partially superconducting at a cryogenic temperature, comprising at least two partial coils (3, 4, 5) which are connected in series and are each bridged by a superconducting switch (6, 7, 8), such that the partial coils form independent electric loops (11, 12, 13) when the superconducting switches (6, 7, 8) are closed, is characterized in that two electric loops (11, 12) have a common section and a flux pump (10) is provided which is circuited in the common section (14) of the electric loops (11, 12) of two partial coils (3, 4), wherein the sum of the currents of the two partial coils (3, 4) flows through the flux pump (10) in the operating state. In this fashion, the drifts of two independent electric loops can be compensated for with a few devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Bruker Biospin AG
    Inventors: Rolf Spreiter, Patrik Vonlanthen
  • Patent number: 7602269
    Abstract: There is disclosed a permanent current switch which has a high temperature margin and which is thermally stable and which securely performs a switching operation between a superconducting state and a normal conducting state. The permanent current switch of the present invention has a coiled superconducting wire and a heater wire which switches the superconducting wire between the superconducting state and the normal conducting state, the superconducting wire is a magnesium diboride superconducting wire having a high-resistance metal on an outer side and a magnesium diboride superconducting portion on an inner side and prepared by forming a superconducting metal on a layer between the high-resistance metal and the magnesium diboride superconducting portion, and the permanent current switch further comprises a superconductive connecting section superconductively connected to a lead wire guided from the superconducting wire and a superconducting wire for a wiring line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaya Takahashi, Kazuhide Tanaka, Michiya Okada
  • Patent number: 7567158
    Abstract: A magnet arrangement (M, M?, M?, M??) for generating a magnetic field in the direction of a z-axis in a working volume (V) disposed on the z-axis about z=0, with a magnet coil system (A, A?, A?, A??) which comprises one or more superconducting magnet partial coil systems (A1, A1?, A1?, A1??, A2??, . . ., An??), each forming superconductingly short-circuited current paths in the operating state, and with a further coil system (C, C?, C?, C??) which can be charged or discharged independently of the magnet coil system (A, A?, A?, A??) and comprises a first and a second partial coil system (C1, C2, C1? C2?, C1?, C2?, C1??, C2??), wherein the first partial coil system (C1, C1?, C1?, C1??) and the second partial coil system (C2, C2?, C2?, C2??) each comprise at least one coil, wherein all coils of the further coil system (C, C?, C?, C??) are connected in series, wherein gCeff,diamag>0.1 mT/A, is characterized in that gC1eff,diamag>0.1 mT/A, gC2eff,diamag>0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Bruker Biospin AG
    Inventors: Francesca Venturini, Robert Schauwecker, Pierre-Alain Bovier
  • Publication number: 20090168286
    Abstract: A localized area is at least partially contained within a perimeter of a shield ring formed by a closed superconducting current path of a material that is superconductive below a critical temperature. The shield ring is at least partially within a perimeter of a compensation coil that is coupled to a current source. One or more measurement devices are responsive to magnetic fields in the vicinity of the localized area, allowing compensation by controlling current to the compensation coil. A heater can raise temperature of the shield ring out of a superconducting condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Andrew J. Berkley, Sergey V. Uchaykin, Thomas F.W. Mahon
  • Patent number: 7477492
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet system comprising a superconducting magnet, itself comprising a plurality of magnet coils, arranged to protect quench heaters yet provide effective quench protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Magnet Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Michael John Disney Mallett
  • Publication number: 20080278270
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for improved damping in high-temperature superconducting levitation systems are disclosed. A superconducting element (e.g., a stator) generating a magnetic field and a magnet (e.g. a rotor) supported by the magnetic field are provided such that the superconducting element is supported relative to a ground state with damped motion substantially perpendicular to the support of the magnetic field on the magnet. Applying this, a cryostat housing the superconducting bearing may be coupled to the ground state with high damping but low radial stiffness, such that its resonant frequency is less than that of the superconducting bearing. The damping of the cryostat may be substantially transferred to the levitated magnetic rotor, thus, providing damping without affecting the rotational loss, as can be derived applying coupled harmonic oscillator theory in rotor dynamics. Thus, damping can be provided to a levitated object, without substantially affecting the rotational loss.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: John R. Hull
  • Patent number: 7400223
    Abstract: A magnet configuration comprising a superconducting magnet coil system (M) and a current path (P) which comprises parts of the magnet coil system (M), wherein at least two electric connecting points (A1, A2, A3, A4) are disposed on the current path (P), which define a section (PA1-A2, PA2-A3, PA3-A4) within the current path (P), wherein the section (PA1-A2, PA2-A3, PA3-A4) does not comprise all parts of the magnet coil system (M) contained in the current path (P), and comprising a resistive element (WA1-A2, WA2-A3, WA3-A4) having an electric resistance value ?0, and at least two contacts (K1, K2, K3, K4), wherein the contacts (K1, K2, K3, K4) are disposed between the resistive element (WA1-A2, WA2-A3, WA3-A4) and one connecting point (A1, A2, A3, A4), is characterized in that in the superconducting state of the magnet coil system (M), an electric contact (K1, K2, K3, K4) between an electric connecting point (A1, A2, A3, A4) and a resistive element (WA1-A2, WA2-A3, WA3-A4) can be closed and opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Bruker Biospin AG
    Inventors: Rolf Spreiter, Robert Schauwecker, Pierre-Alain Bovier
  • Patent number: 7304852
    Abstract: An inverter assembly including a storage compartment for multiple cables adapted to be releasably connected to the inverter. A body of the inverter assembly includes interior and exterior fins for the dissipation of heat energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Alltrade Tools LLC
    Inventors: Hector R. Hernandez, David Potts
  • Patent number: 7298602
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a novel technique for placing superconducting magnets into operation. For example, the technique provides for automatically controlling ramp-up of a superconducting magnet. In one aspect, the technique includes connecting a power supply to the magnet, determining constraining parameters of the ramp-up, automatically applying power to the magnet, automatically controlling the ramp-up based on the constraining parameters, and wherein the ramp-up is complete upon reaching a predetermined value of a target parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: GE Medical System, Inc.
    Inventor: Larry Keith Knight
  • Patent number: 7224250
    Abstract: This invention provides a superconducting magnet apparatus capable of preventing or restraining the heat invading into the apparatus and reducing the refrigeration load of an external refrigerator, at the time of changeover of a switch in transiting to a persistent current mode, and capable of quick changeover operation. In the superconducting magnet apparatus of the present invention (1), in transiting to a persistent current mode, a thermal superconducting switch (41) placed in a low-temperature domain and a mechanical switch (42) placed in a mid-temperature domain are turned on. Since the mechanical switch (42) is placed in the mid-temperature domain, even if a heat load is generated through the drive mechanism (60), it is not necessary to cool the mechanical switch to an extremely low temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Central Japan Railway
    Inventors: Kaoru Nemoto, Motohiro Igarashi