Compact GdBa₂Cu₃O_7–δcoated conductor cables for electric power transmission and magnet applications

TLDR

High‑temperature superconductor cables are needed for power transmission and low‑inductance magnet applications, but existing cabling techniques have not produced compact, mechanically robust, high‑current, flexible cables. We demonstrate a newly introduced cabling technique that enables construction of cables from high‑temperature superconducting coated conductors meeting compactness, mechanical robustness, high current, and flexibility requirements. The resulting cable, wound from GdBa₂Cu₃O₇–δ coated conductors, has a 7.5‑mm outer diameter and ~2800 A critical current at 76 K self‑field, and its compactness and flexibility make it suitable for Navy and Air Force power transmission, reducing the diameter of grid‑installed lines, while its high engineering current density supports high‑field magnet applications.

Abstract

Bundling high-temperature superconductors together to form high-current cables is required in, for instance, power transmission and low-inductance magnet applications. Cabling techniques that have been applied so far have not resulted in compact, mechanically robust, high-current cables that remain flexible. Here, we demonstrate that the cabling technique that we have introduced only recently enables the construction of cables from high-temperature superconducting coated conductors that meet these requirements. We present details of a cable, wound from GdBa2Cu3O7–δ coated conductors, that has an outer diameter of 7.5 mm and a critical current of about 2800 A at 76 K and self-field. The compact size and flexibility make the cable suitable for Navy and Air Force power transmission, and would allow superconducting power transmission lines that have been installed in the electric power grid to be reduced in diameter. The potential of increasing the engineering current density of the cable, while maintaining flexibility, makes them also suitable for high-field magnet applications.