Magnet Or Electromagnet: (class 335/216) Patents (Class 505/879)
  • Patent number: 12132378
    Abstract: A superconducting machine includes at least one superconducting coil and a coil support structure arranged with the at least one superconducting coil. The coil support structure includes at least one composite component affixed to the at least one superconducting coil and an interface component in frictional contact with the at least one composite component so as to reduce a likelihood of quench of the at least one superconducting coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
    Inventors: Ye Bai, Alexander Kagan, Anbo Wu, Minfeng Xu, Dalong Li
  • Patent number: 11978571
    Abstract: A method of coiling a superconducting cable, where the superconducting cable is comprised of a plurality of stacked superconducting tapes, where the superconducting cable has a clocking feature that identifies an orientation of the superconducting tapes, the method comprising the step of orienting coils of the superconducting cable, such that a magnetic field from surrounding coils impinge upon a given coil at a desired angle, based upon an orientation of the clocking feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Inventor: Christopher M. Rey
  • Patent number: 11940511
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet may include magnet coils including at least one group of outer coils and at least one group of inner coils, a container including an accommodating space, at least one first chamber that is disposed within the accommodating space and houses the at least one group of the inner coils, and at least one second chamber that is disposed within the accommodating space and houses the at least one group of the outer coils. The at least one first chamber and the at least one second chamber may be configured to be filled with a cooling medium and are in fluid communication with each other. The cooling medium may be configured to cool the magnet coils to a superconducting state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jianfeng Liu, Yanqing Cai, Lijun Zou, Jin Qian, Jian Gu
  • Patent number: 11935694
    Abstract: In a step of inserting each of a plurality of disk-shaped windings into a recessed groove portion of a corresponding one of a plurality of ring-shaped fixing portions, each of the plurality of disk-shaped windings is inserted in a state where an outer circumferential surface of each of the plurality of disk-shaped windings is spaced apart from a bottom surface of the recessed groove portion of a corresponding one of the plurality of ring-shaped fixing portions. In a step of bringing the outer circumferential surface of each of the plurality of disk-shaped windings into direct or indirect contact with the bottom surface of the recessed groove portion of the corresponding one of the plurality of ring-shaped fixing portions, each of the plurality of disk-shaped windings and an outer frame portion are cooled and contracted for contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuya Inoue, Hiroyuki Horii
  • Patent number: 11646138
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet for producing part of a substantially toroidal field in a device is described. The magnet comprises: a set of conductors comprising one or more first conductors (31f) and one or more second conductors (32f), and a set of joints (33). Each of the joints (33) connects a region of a first conductor (31f) with a region of a second conductor (32f) to form a series of alternating first and second conductors corresponding to at least part of a winding of the magnet. Each of the joints (33) is positioned away from a midplane of the toroidal field. The joints (33) are positioned on alternating sides of the midplane. Each first conductor (3 If) passes through the midplane at a smaller distance from an axis of rotation of the toroidal field than does each second conductor (32f). Each of the regions is elongate and extends in a direction at least partly away from the midplane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: University of Durham
    Inventor: Damian Hampshire
  • Patent number: 11569816
    Abstract: The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and circuits for reducing switch transition time of superconductor switches. In some embodiments, an electrical circuit includes: (i) an input component configured to generate heat in response to an electrical input; and (ii) a first superconducting component thermally-coupled to the input component. The electrical circuit is configured such that, in the absence of the electrical input, at least a portion of the first superconducting component is maintained in a non-superconducting state in the absence of the electrical input; and, in response to the electrical input, the first superconducting component transitions to a superconducting state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: PSIQUANTUM CORP.
    Inventors: Faraz Najafi, Qiaodan Jin Stone
  • Patent number: 11506736
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet assembly with a reinforced coil region (3) having a layered conductor coil assembly (10) forming cylindrical conductor layers (11, . . . ), each having plural circular conductor turns (12) centered around and aligned along the axis of cylindrical symmetry (z). The reinforced coil region further includes a layered corset coil assembly (20) having an inner radius bigger than an outer radius of the layered conductor coil assembly (10), and a corset sheet assembly (30) including a foil element forming a corset sheet (31, . . . ). A cross section of the corset sheet with any plane perpendicular to the z-axis forms a segmented circle centered around the z-axis, the radius of which is bigger than that of one of the conductor layers and smaller than that of another of the conductor layers. In addition, the segmented circle covers at least 90% of a full circle but has at most four segments. The assembly provides mechanical reinforcement against radial magnetic forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: BRUKER SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Robert Schauwecker, Matteo Alessandrini, Pierre-Alain Bovier, Stephan Heiss, Patrik Vonlanthen
  • Patent number: 11508505
    Abstract: Provided is a superconducting coil having a spiral structure for a current limiter. The coil includes: a first superconducting tape, a second superconducting tape, and an insulating isolation layer, where the first superconducting tape and the second superconducting tape have spiral structures, an end of the first superconducting tape at a spiral center is connected to an end of the second superconducting tape at the spiral center, the instating isolation laser is filled between the first superconducting tape and the second superconducting tape, and a spacing between the first superconducting tape and the second superconducting tape gradually increases from the spiral center to an outer spiral periphery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignees: GUANGDONG POWER GRID CO., LTD., ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF GUANGDONG POWER GRID CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Li Li, Lianhong Zhong, Meng Song, Xinhui Duan, Xiaoqing Xiao, Nannan Hu, Yunsong Luo, Wenfeng Cheng, Zhengjun Shi, Bing Zhao, Yajun Xia, Youxin Lin
  • Patent number: 11424060
    Abstract: A superconducting coil of an embodiment includes a winding frame; a superconducting wire wound around the winding frame, the superconducting wire including a first region and a second region facing the first region; and a first layer placed between the first region and the second region, the first layer including a first particle and a thermosetting resin, the first particle including crystal having volume resistivity equal to or higher than 10?2 ?·m and having cleavage, and the thermosetting resin surrounding the first particle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Mariko Hayashi, Takashi Kuboki
  • Patent number: 11408706
    Abstract: In an example, an apparatus includes a cryogenic container configured to store a cryogenic fluid, a superconducting coil disposed within the cryogenic container, and an outer casing surrounding at least a lateral surface area of the cryogenic container. The apparatus is configured such that, while the superconducting coil is carrying a current, is in a superconducting state, and is being cooled by the cryogenic fluid stored in the cryogenic container, an outward magnetic pressure is imposed on the cryogenic container and the outer casing. The cryogenic container and the outer casing are configured to withstand the outward magnetic pressure for at least a predetermined period of time, including while the superconducting coil is being charged to the superconducting state. An occurrence of a trigger event while the outward magnetic pressure is being imposed causes the cryogenic container and the outer casing to expand and burst into radially-dispersed fragments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Mark J. Clemen, Jr., Keith A. Coleman
  • Patent number: 8988176
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet device is configured to include: a refrigerant circulation flowpath in which a refrigerant (R) circulates; a refrigerator for cooling vapor of the refrigerant (R) in the refrigerant circulation flowpath; a superconducting coil cooled by the circulating refrigerant (R); a protective resistor thermally contacting the superconducting coil and having an internal space (S); a high-boiling-point refrigerant supply section for supplying a high-boiling-point refrigerant having a higher boiling point than the refrigerant (R) and frozen by the refrigerant (R) to the internal space (S) in the protective resistor; and a vacuum insulating container for at least accommodating the refrigerant circulation flowpath, the superconducting coil, and the protective resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Aoki, Ryuya Ando, Yukihiro Murata, Ryoji Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8952775
    Abstract: A superconductive magnet includes a superconductive coil that is an air-core coil; a pair of bobbin bodies that support the superconductive coil while interposing the superconductive coil therebetween on both sides of a center axial line direction of the superconductive coil; an outer circumference-side binding portion that extends in the center axial line direction on an outer circumferential side of the superconductive coil to bind the pair of bobbin bodies; and a belt-shaped or a wire-shaped inner circumference-side tension imparted portion which extends in the center axial line direction on an inner circumferential side of the superconductive coil to connect the pair of bobbin bodies, and on which tension is imparted in the center axial line direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hitoshi Mitsubori
  • Patent number: 8948829
    Abstract: An oxide superconducting bulk magnet member includes a plurality of bulk sections that have outer circumferences with outer circumferential dimensions different from each other and are disposed in a manner such that among the outer circumferences, an outer circumference in which the outer circumferential dimension is relatively large surrounds a small outer circumference; and interposed sections that are disposed between a pair of the bulk sections that are adjacent to each other, wherein a gap is formed between the bulk sections adjacent to each other, each of the bulk sections is an oxide bulk in which an RE2BaCuO5 phase is dispersed within an REBa2Cu3O7-x phase, and a bulk section having the smallest outer circumferential dimension among the bulk sections has a columnar shape or a ring shape, and bulk sections other than the bulk section having the smallest outer circumferential dimension have a ring shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuru Morita, Hidekazu Teshima
  • Patent number: 8903465
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet assembly includes a bobbin comprising a central bore along a longitudinal direction, and a superconducting coil package wound on the bobbin. The superconducting coil package includes a plurality of superconducting coil layers wound on the bobbin, a plurality of supporting member layers, each of the supporting member layers being between a corresponding two adjacent superconducting coil layers, and a thermal conduction layer between two superconducting coil layers or between a superconducting coil layer and an adjacent supporting member layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xianrui Huang, Yan Zhao, Anbo Wu, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Paul St. Mark Shadforth Thompson
  • Patent number: 8787998
    Abstract: A superconducting coil apparatus and a superconducting apparatus including the superconducting coil apparatus are provided. The superconducting coil apparatus includes a superconducting coil 10, an inner container 50 that holds the superconducting coil 10 therein, and an outer container 60. The inner container 50 and the outer container 60 are made of FRP. At a corner portion 71 of the inner container 50 and the outer container 60, a sealing reinforcement portion 2 made of a resin is formed so as to extend along the corner portion 71. Opening portions 53 and 63 are formed in side surfaces of the inner container 50 and the outer container 60. The sealing reinforcement portion 2 is disposed at the corner portion 71 of the opening portions 53 and 63, whereby the sealing performance of the container can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Shinzato, Hitoshi Oyama
  • Patent number: 8565845
    Abstract: The invention offers a superconducting coil that has the shape of a pancake formed by winding a superconducting conductor. The superconducting conductor is composed of a tape-shaped (Bi, Pb)2223-based superconducting wire and a tape-shaped thin-film RE123-based superconducting wire that are electrically connected in parallel with each other. The coil generates only a low voltage in the steady-operation state, limits the generated voltage to a low level even in a state where an external disturbance enters for some reason, and is therefore less susceptible to quenching. Consequently, the coil can be operated stably in both states. The invention also offers a superconducting conductor to be used to form the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Kobayashi, Tetsuyuki Kaneko
  • Patent number: 8471660
    Abstract: A superconducting magnetizer assembly includes a coil pack including an inner coil configured to generate a first magnetic field in response to an electric current supplied to the inner coil, an outer coil being disposed about the inner coil and configured to generate a second magnetic field in response to an electric current supplied to the outer coil, a non-conductive end spacer disposed between an end winding of the inner coil and an end winding of the outer coil, and a container to house the inner and outer coils; and a yoke disposed proximate the coil pack being configured to constrain the first and second magnetic fields to reduce the strength of the first field at the end winding of the inner coil, wherein the yoke comprises an annular ring configured to at least partially envelop the coil pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Humphrie Rochford, Kiruba Sivasubramaniam Haran, Ernst Wolfgang Stautner
  • Patent number: 8467841
    Abstract: A superconducting high-field magnet coil system comprising several radially nested main coil sections (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) which are connected to each other in series in such a fashion that currents of the same direction flow through them during operation, wherein a first main coil section (EHS) is disposed radially further inward than a second main coil section (ZHS) and at least one intermediate main coil section (ZW) is disposed radially between the first and the second main coil section (EHS, ZHS), and with a superconducting switch (11) via which all main coil sections (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) can be superconductingly short-circuited in series, is characterized in that the first main coil section (EHS) and the second main coil section (ZHS) are directly successively series-connected and the first main coil section (EHS) and the second main coil section (ZHS) are bridged by a common quench protection element, which does not bridge the at least one intermediate main coil section (ZW).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Bruker BioSpin GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Frantz, Gerald Neuberth, Gerhard Roth
  • Patent number: 8406833
    Abstract: A cryostat (1) with a magnet coil system including superconductors for the production of a magnet field B0 in a measuring volume (3) has a plurality of radically nested solenoid-shaped coil sections (4, 5, 6) and which are electrically connected in series, at least one of which being an LTS section (5, 6) with a conventional low temperature superconductor (LTS) and at least one of which being an HTS section (4) including a high temperature superconductor (HTS), wherein the magnet coil system is located in a helium tank (9) of the cryostat (1) along with liquid helium at a helium temperature TL<4 K. The apparatus is characterized in that heating means are provided which always keep the HTS at an increased temperature TH>TL and TH>2.2 K. The cryostat in accordance with the invention can maintain the HTS section over a long period of time in a reliable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Bruker Biospin GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Roth, Axel Lausch
  • Patent number: 8362863
    Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed towards magnetization of permanent magnets using superconducting magnetizers. For example, in one embodiment, a superconducting magnetizer assembly is provided. The assembly includes a coil pack having an inner coil including a first superconducting magnet material, the coil being configured to generate a first magnetic field in response to an electric current supplied to the coil, and an outer coil including a second superconducting magnet material, the outer coil being disposed about the inner coil and being configured to generate a second magnetic field in response to an electric current supplied to the outer coil. The coil pack also includes a container configured to house the inner and the outer coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Humphrie Rochford, Kiruba Sivasubramaniam Haran, Ernst Wolfgang Stautner
  • Patent number: 8344835
    Abstract: The method of winding superconducting wire comprises a winding method comprising: winding the superconducting wire from the source reel onto the first lane of the first bobbin a first number of times in a first direction; fixing the first bobbin and the second bobbin to each other; winding the superconducting wire from the source reel onto the third lane of the second bobbin a second number of times in the first direction; separating the first bobbin and the second bobbin from each other; and winding the superconducting wire from the first lane of the first bobbin onto the fourth lane of the second bobbin a third number of times in a second direction which is different from the first direction while winding the superconducting wire from the third lane of the second bobbin onto the source reel the third number of times in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Yonsel University
    Inventors: Tae Kuk Ko, Jae Sik Kang, Hyun Chul Jo, Suk Jin Choi, Jin Bae Na, Jae Young Jang, Young Jin Hwang, Hyung Jun Kim
  • Patent number: 8319588
    Abstract: A hollow cylindrical thermal shield for a tubular cryogenically cooled superconducting magnet, has a first axis, an inner cylindrical tube having an axis aligned with the first axis, an outer cylindrical tube of greater diameter than the diameter of the inner cylindrical tube, having an axis aligned with the first axis, and annular end pieces, joining the inner cylindrical tube and the outer cylindrical tube to form an enclosure. The hollow cylindrical thermal shield further has a cylindrical stiffener, extending axially at least part of the axial length of the inner cylindrical tube, the stiffener being joined at intervals to the inner cylindrical tube, thereby to improve the mechanical rigidity of the inner cylindrical tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Plc
    Inventor: Simon James Calvert
  • Patent number: 8258906
    Abstract: A magnetizer for magnetizing permanent magnets positioned in-situ a mechanical member is disclosed. The magnetizer comprises at least one primary superconducting coil configured to project a magnetic field flux configuration of a first type to at least a portion of a distal volume of a first type, and at least two auxiliary coils symmetrically disposed about the at least one primary superconducting coil and configured to project magnetic field flux configurations of a second type to at least a portion of a distal volume of a second type. A method of magnetizing a permanent magnet in-situ within a mechanical member is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kiruba Sivasubramaniam, Patrick Lee Jansen, Ernst Wolfgang Stautner
  • Patent number: 8185175
    Abstract: A low-cost superconducting coil which can generate a high magnetic field at comparatively high temperature is provided. The superconducting coil is formed in a pancake shape by winding a superconducting conductor that is made by electrically connecting a tape-shaped (Bi,Pb)2223 superconducting wire and a tape-shaped RE123 superconducting wire in series such that the tape-shaped (Bi,Pb)2223 superconducting wire is arranged in the outer circumferential part and the tape-shaped RE123 superconducting wire is arranged in the internal circumferential part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinichi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8044752
    Abstract: High-current, compact, flexible conductors containing high temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes and methods for making the same are described. The HTS tapes are arranged into a stack, a plurality of stacks are arranged to form a superstructure, and the superstructure is twisted about the cable axis to obtain a HTS cable. The HTS cables of the invention can be utilized in numerous applications such as cables employed to generate magnetic fields for degaussing and high current electric power transmission or distribution applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Otto, Ralph P. Mason, James F. Maguire, Jie Yuan
  • Patent number: 7924126
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet includes an insulating layer disposed about the surface of a mandrel; a superconducting wire wound in adjacent turns about the mandrel to form the superconducting magnet, wherein the superconducting wire is in thermal communication with the mandrel, and the superconducting magnet has a field-to-current ratio equal to or greater than 1.1 Tesla per Ampere; a thermally conductive potting material configured to fill interstices between the adjacent turns, wherein the thermally conductive potting material and the superconducting wire provide a path for dissipation of heat; and a voltage limiting device disposed across each end of the superconducting wire, wherein the voltage limiting device is configured to prevent a voltage excursion across the superconducting wire during quench of the superconducting magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Thomas P. Hait, Peter J. Shirron
  • Patent number: 7777602
    Abstract: Tape-shaped superconducting wires, and a superconducting coil formed from said wires, wherein a plurality of electrically separated superconducting film parts, each having a rectangular cross section and arranged in parallel, form parallel conductors, providing superconducting wires capable of containing losses incurred in the presence of alternating current (A/C). A superconducting coil is made by winding the superconducting wires, wherein the coil structure contains at least a part wherein perpendicular interlinkage magnetic fluxes acting among conductor elements of the parallel conductors by the distribution of magnetic fields generated by the superconducting coils cancel mutually in order to contain circulating current within the wires and to make shunt current uniform, thereby providing a low-loss A/C superconducting coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignees: International Superconductivity Technology Center, Juridical Foundation, Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd., Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Funaki, Masataka Iwakuma, Takanobu Kisu, Akira Tomioka, Toshio Uede, Hiroshi Fuji, Teruo Izumi, Yuh Shiohara
  • Patent number: 7750524
    Abstract: A magnetizing device for superconductor and a superconducting synchronous machine are provided capable of constituting more compact and simple equipment that uses a superconductor as a magnet. The magnetizing device for superconductor includes a superconductor (131); a coolant chamber (142) for cooling the superconductor (131) down to or below a critical temperature at which the transition to a superconducting state occurs; coils (111, 111?) for generating a magnetic field equal to or higher than a critical magnetic field in which the intrusion of a magnetic flux into the superconductor (131) starts, around the superconductor (131) cooled down to or below the critical temperature at which the transition to the superconducting state occurs; and position modification means capable of arranging the superconductor (131) on a disk (120) and modifying the relative positional relationship with the coils (111, 111?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignees: University of Fukui, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Kitano Seiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehiko Sugimoto, Mitsuru Izumi, Masahiro Kitano
  • Patent number: 7728707
    Abstract: A magnet arrangement with a magnet coil system (M) with two coil systems (C, D) that are each arranged in a container (B1, B2) positioned around the z axis and that are axially mechanically separated by a split (G), wherein each coil system (C, D) comprises a first (C1, D1) and a second coil section system (C2, D2), wherein the first coil section systems (C1, D1) are exposed to attractive magnetic forces showing toward the split (G) (KC1, KD1) and the second coil section systems (C2, D2), to repulsive magnetic forces showing away from the split (G) (KC2, KD2), and containing in the split (G) at least one mechanical structure that withstands compressive loads (E1, E2) and that supports a part of the attractive magnetic forces (KC1, KD1), is characterized in that, in the split (G) within the dimensions of the containers (B1, B2), a mechanical structure (H1) is provided that mechanically withstands tensile loads in the z direction, supports a part of the repulsive magnetic forces in the axial direction (KC2, KD2
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Bruker Biospin AG
    Inventors: Raffaele Gilardi, Stefan Schneider, Robert Schauwecker, Pierre-Alain Bovier
  • Patent number: 7667562
    Abstract: A new class of fundamental devices and methods for their manufacture and use. The bulk magnetic field replicators of the present invention require no precision machining or alignment to accurately reproduce magnetic fields of any complexity, nor extreme positional stability to maintain superconductivity. Such bulk devices may be formed of either low or high critical temperature superconductive materials, but are particularly adapted to formation from high critical temperature materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Inventor: Roy Weinstein
  • Patent number: 7570173
    Abstract: Device for dissipation of gases created in the event of a quench of a superconducting magnet has a quench tube and a front sealing element closing the quench tube on the magnet side. The quench tube is sealed by a rear sealing element, and at least one sensor is associated with the tube segment closed by the sealing elements. The measurement values of the sensor represent a measure for the impermeability of the tube segment. The sensor communicates with an alarm emitter via which an alarm signal can be output upon detection of a leakage of the tube segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Gerhard Bittner
  • Patent number: 7567157
    Abstract: A rectangular coil has several successive windings which are made of a strip-shaped super conductor, which contains at least one core which is embedded in a normal conductive matrix material and which is made of a high-Tc-super conductor material. The coil is made of a strip-shaped superconductor and does not have additional insulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Frank, Peter Kummeth, Adolf Kühn, Peter Massek, Peter van Haβelt
  • Patent number: 7453340
    Abstract: Tape-shaped superconducting wires, and a superconducting coil formed from said wires, wherein a plurality of electrically separated superconducting film parts, each having a rectangular cross section and arranged in parallel, form parallel conductors, providing superconducting wires capable of containing losses incurred in the presence of alternating current (A/C). A superconducting coil is made by winding the superconducting wires, wherein the coil structure contains at least a part wherein perpendicular interlinkage magnetic fluxes acting among conductor elements of the parallel conductors by the distribution of magnetic fields generated by the superconducting coils cancel mutually in order to contain circulating current within the wires and to make shunt current uniform, thereby providing a low-loss A/C superconducting coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignees: International Superconductivity Technology Center, The Juridical Foundation, Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd., Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Funaki, Masataka Iwakuma, Takanobu Kisu, Akira Tomioka, Toshio Uede, Hiroshi Fuji, Teruo Izumi, Yuh Shiohara
  • Patent number: 7394338
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a superconducting coil includes a tertiary parallel superconductor unit (60) composed of superposed in parallel a plurality of layers of secondary parallel superconductor units (50). The layers of secondary parallel superconductor units include a plurality of superconductor elements (40) arranged in parallel along the axial direction of the coil, forming a superconducting conductor unit. The tertiary parallel superconductor unit is wound on a bobbin (55). In another embodiment, the superconducting coil includes one or more layers of the secondary parallel superconductor unit wound on the bobbin. In both embodiments, the secondary parallel superconductor unit can include at least one non-superconducting conductor element (70). The layer of the secondary parallel superconductor unit forming an outer side of the tertiary parallel superconductor unit can include at least one non-superconducting conductor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignees: Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd., Fujikura Ltd., Railway Technical Research Institute, Superconductivity Research Laboratory, International Superconductivity Technology Center, The Juridical Foundation, Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Masataka Iwakuma, Akira Tomioka, Masayuki Konno, Hiroshi Fuji, Kenji Suzuki, Teruo Izumi, Yuh Shiohara, Hidemi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7383625
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a continuous disk winding. A high-temperature superconducting wire is lapped using Kapton films to insulate the high-temperature superconducting wire. The high-temperature superconducting wire is wound on a bobbin by a predetermined number of turns to form a layer of windings. An annular disk having a slit formed therein is fitted onto the bobbin. The slit is formed along the circumference of the disk and to be inclined from the inner side of the disk towards the outer side thereof. The high-temperature superconducting wire is inserted into the slit of the disk to pass through the annular disk smoothly along the inclined slit and wound again by the predetermined number of turns to form a next layer of windings. The above steps of fitting an annular disk, and inserting and winding the high-temperature superconducting wire are repeated to form multiple layers of windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Korea Polytechnic University
    Inventors: Kyeong Dal Choi, Woo Seok Kim, Seung Wook Lee, Young In Hwang
  • Patent number: 7310034
    Abstract: A superconducting magnet coil configuration has at least one section containing a superconducting strip conductor which is wound in several layers like a solenoid in a cylindrical winding chamber (1) between two end flanges (2, 3), characterized in that the radially innermost layers of the section consist of metallic low-temperature superconductors (LTS) (LTS layers (8)) and radially adjacent layers of the section are formed from high-temperature superconductor (HTS) material (HTS layers (9)). The invention proposes a magnet coil configuration using HTS material which has a notch structure for correcting inhomogeneities and homogenizing a compact high-field magnet, wherein the mechanical load on the HTS strip conductor is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Bruker Biospin GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Schlenga, Volker Niemann, Gerhard Roth
  • Patent number: 7301425
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a pancake-type bifilar winding module using a superconducting wire and a winding bobbin therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Yonsei University
    Inventors: Tae Kuk Ko, Duck Kwon Bae, Min Cheol Ahn
  • 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
  • Patent number: 7026271
    Abstract: An oxide superconductor includes a textured superconducting material including an array of defects, where the defects are a compound of two elements foreign to the superconductor, plus other elements native to the superconductor. The two foreign elements include one from group A and one from group B (or alternately the two foreign elements include the element uranium and one element from group C), where group A includes Cr, Mo, W, or Nd, group B includes Pt, Zr, Pd, Ni, Ti, Hf, Ce and Th, and group C includes Zr, Pd, Ni, Ti, Hf, Ce and Th. The array of defects is dispersed throughout the superconducting material. The superconducting material may be the RE1Ba2Cu3O7?? compound, wherein RE=Y, Nd, La, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Tb; the Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox, (Bi, Pb)2Sr2CaCu2Ox, Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox and (Bi, Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox compounds; the HgBa2Ca2Cu3O8 and HgBa2CaCu2O6 compounds, the TlCaBa2Cu2Ox or Tl2Ca2Ba2Cu3Ox compounds and compounds involving substitution such as the Nd1+xBa2?xCu3Ox compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Inventor: Roy Weinstein
  • Patent number: 6965288
    Abstract: A system capable of pumping or mixing fluids using a rotating magnetic element or bearing levitated by a cold superconducting element is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: University of Kentucky Research Foundation
    Inventor: Alexandre N. Terentiev
  • Patent number: 6900714
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xianrui Huang, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Kiruba Haran Sivasubramaniam, James William Bray, David Thomas Ryan, James Michael Fogarty, Albert Eugene Steinbach
  • Patent number: 6897749
    Abstract: A superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) device including a first coil made of superconducting material, a cooling mechanism for cooling the first coil to superconducting temperatures, a second coil inductively coupled to the first coil for inputting emergy to, and/or outputting energy from, the first coil, and a switch for switching the first coil between a superconducting condition and a non-superconducting condition. The first coil is arranged as a closed loop electric circuit having no connecting device mechanically connected to it for inputting or outputting energy. The switch includes a third coil for the application or removal of a magnetic field for switching the first coil between its non-superconducting and superconducting conditions. A method inputs energy to and/or outputs energy from the first coil and a power supply system utilizes the device and method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: ABB AB
    Inventors: Tomas Jonsson, Karin Thorburn, Udo Fromm, Peter Hessling, Arne Gustafsson, Christian Sasse, Pan Min, Mikael Dahlgren
  • Patent number: 6774752
    Abstract: The invention concerns an NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) high field magnet coil system comprising superconducting conductor structures for generating a homogeneous magnetic field B0 in a measuring volume (23) with several radially nested solenoidal coil sections (12, 13, 31), which is characterized in that the radially innermost coil section (31) is wound with a band-shaped superconductor with an aspect ratio (width to thickness) >3 on a coil support which axially projects, at least at one axial end, past the winding packet of the radially neighboring coil section (12) and the band-shaped superconductor is guided on this side tangentially towards the outside to a region of reduced magnetic field strength and terminates in at least one electrical connecting point (16). This permits use of a brittle band-shaped superconductor for the innermost coil system (31) which cannot be strongly bent at the upper edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Bruker Biospin GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Schlenga, Gerhard Roth, Arne Kasten
  • Patent number: 6753748
    Abstract: A superconducting high-field magnet coil (1; 27; 38) comprising at least one radially inner (2) and at least one radially outer coil section (3; 32; 33), wherein at least the radially inner coil section (2) is wound in a solenoid-shaped fashion with an HTS (high temperature superconductor) band conductor (14; 20; 36) and wherein at least one superconducting connection is provided between the radially inner coil section and the radially outer coil section is characterized in that the superconducting connection comprises a first superconducting joint (5; 39) between two HTS band conductors at which the HTS band conductor of the radially inner coil section is connected to at least one further HTS band conductor (6; 21, 22; 29; 40), flatly overlapping same, such that the two HTS band conductors mutually subtend an angle of between 30° and 150°, and with a second superconducting joint (7; 41) which is electrically connected in series with the first, and which is geometrically disposed in a region of consid
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Bruker Biospin GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Schlenga
  • Patent number: 6693504
    Abstract: The invention features an internally supported superconducting coil assembly. The invention includes several superconducting windings and at least one internal coil support member that forms a laminate stack alternating between an internal support member and a superconducting winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory L. Snitchler, Raymond T. Howard, John P. Voccio
  • Patent number: 6657526
    Abstract: There is provided a power lead for a superconductive magnet capable of controlling the invasion of heat to liquid helium for storing superconductive coils therein and of sufficiently feeding power to the superconductive coils. The power lead for a superconductive magnet of a superconductor magneto unit for supplying a current to the superconductive coils which are cooled at a liquid helium temperature through a radiant heat shielded section which is cooled at a liquid nitrogen temperature, wherein at least a part of sections positioned inside the radiant heat shielded section of a current lead member of the superconductive magnet comprises a high temperature oxide superconductor bulk body having a critical temperature exceeding a liquid nitrogen temperature. In this case, it is preferable to apply a resin impregnation treatment to the bulk body to enforce the high temperature oxide superconductor bulk body section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignees: International Superconductivity Technology Center, Railway Technical Research Institute
    Inventors: Ken Nagashima, Masaru Tomita, Kaoru Nemoto, Toshiki Herai, Masato Murakami
  • Patent number: 6638894
    Abstract: A class of superconductive materials containing copper-oxygen bonding and with mixed cation-occupancy designed with a view to size and valence consideration yield useful values of critical temperature and other properties. Uses entail all applications which involves superconducting materials such as magnets and transmission lines which require continuous superconductivity paths as well as detectors (e.g., which may rely on tunneling).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Bertram Josef Batlogg, Robert Joseph Cava, Robert Bruce van Dover
  • Patent number: 6635603
    Abstract: A class of superconductive materials containing copper-oxygen bonding and with mixed cation-occupancy designed with a view to size and valence consideration yield useful values of critical temperature and other properties. Uses entail all applications which involves superconducting materials such as magnets and transmission lines which require continuous superconductivity paths as well as detectors (e.g., which may rely on tunneling).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Bertram Josef Batlogg, Robert Joseph Cava, Robert Bruce van Dover
  • Patent number: 6630425
    Abstract: Superconducting copper oxides of the perovskite structure are modified to have mixed occupancy of a cation site, thereby resulting in increased limits in critical field and/or critical current. Mixed occupancy may be observed in terms of increased resistivity as the superconducting material reverts to a nonsuperconducting state. A significant advantage, at least for preferred compositions, derives from the fact that critical temperature is unaffected relative to the prototypical material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Bertram Josef Batlogg, Robert Joseph Cava, Robert Bruce van Dover
  • Patent number: 6621395
    Abstract: The invention provides methods of charging superconducting materials and, in particular, methods of charging high-temperature superconducting materials. The methods generally involve cooling a superconducting material to a temperature below its critical temperature. Then, an external magnetic field is applied to charge the material at a nearly constant temperature. The external magnetic field first drives the superconducting material to a critical state and then penetrates into the material. When in the critical state, the superconducting material loses all the pinning ability and therefore is in the flux-flow regime. In some embodiments, a first magnetic field may be used to drive the superconducting material to the critical state and then a second magnetic field may be used to penetrate the superconducting material. When the external field or combination of external fields are removed, the magnetic field that has penetrated into the material remains trapped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Leslie Bromberg