Repository logo
 

Simulating the in-field AC and DC performance of high-temperature superconducting coils


Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Ainslie, MD 
Hu, D 
Zou, J 
Cardwell, DA 

Abstract

In this paper, the authors investigate numerically the in-field behaviour of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) coils and a method to potentially improve their performance using ferromagnetic material as a flux diverter. The ability to accurately predict the electromagnetic behaviour of superconductors in complex geometries and electromagnetic environments is crucial to the design of commercially-viable superconductor-based electrical devices, such as power transmission cables, superconducting fault current limiters, transformers, and motors and generators. The analysis is carried out using a two-dimensional (2D) axisymmetric model of a circular pancake coil based on the H-formulation and implemented in Comsol Multiphysics 4.3a. We explore the use of flux diverters to improve an HTS coil’s performance with respect to its DC (maximum allowable/critical current) and AC (AC loss) characteristics, for various background magnetic fields. It is found that while flux diverters can improve the AC properties of coils, they can be detrimental to the DC properties in this particular configuration.

Description

Keywords

AC loss reduction, high-temperature superconductors (HTSs), superconducting coils, transport ac loss

Journal Title

IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1051-8223
1558-2515

Volume Title

25

Publisher

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Sponsorship
Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) (10216/113)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/P00962X/1)
Dr Mark Ainslie would like to acknowledge the support of a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship. Di Hu and Jin Zou would like to acknowledge support of Churchill College, Cambridge, the China Scholarship Council and the Cambridge Commonwealth, European and International Trust.