Superconducting electrical conductor
First Claim
1. A superconducting electrical conductor, comprising:
- an elongated porous substrate of sintered bonded ceramic fibers;
a coating of ceramic oxide superconducting material on fibers of said substrate;
an inner tube around said coated substrate with an outer tube surrounding said inner tube, said outer tube defining an annular space with said inner tube which is adapted to be evacuated for producing a thermal barrier, and a layer of electrical and heat insulation on an outer surface of said outer tube; and
means for supplying a cryogenic fluid through said substrate for cooling said superconducting material to or below its critical temperature of superconductivity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A superconducting electrical conductor comprises a porous substrate of bonded fibers which are coated by ceramic oxide superconducting material of the perovskite type so that its critical temperature of superconductivity is at or above the boiling point of liquid nitrogen. To form electrical cable, the conductor is encased within an inner tube. An outer tube surrounds the inner tube and defines an evacuated annular space therewith. This provides a thermal barrier between substrate, which will be bathed by liquid nitrogen, and the ambient. Electrical and heat insulation surrounds the outer tube.
Joint connectors in the form of multiple rigid rods, each coated by superconducting material and held in a perforated frame, are used to connect facing ends of the substrate to form an electrical connection from one length of conductor to the next.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A superconducting electrical conductor, comprising:
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an elongated porous substrate of sintered bonded ceramic fibers; a coating of ceramic oxide superconducting material on fibers of said substrate; an inner tube around said coated substrate with an outer tube surrounding said inner tube, said outer tube defining an annular space with said inner tube which is adapted to be evacuated for producing a thermal barrier, and a layer of electrical and heat insulation on an outer surface of said outer tube; and means for supplying a cryogenic fluid through said substrate for cooling said superconducting material to or below its critical temperature of superconductivity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A superconducting electrical conductor assembly, comprising:
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an elongated porous substrate of sintered bonded ceramic fibers; a coating of ceramic oxide superconducting material on fibers of said substrate; an inner tube around said coated substrate with an outer tube surrounding said inner tube, said outer tube defining an annular space with said inner tube which is adapted to be evacuated for producing a thermal barrier, and a layer of electrical and heat insulation on an outer surface of said outer tube; means for supplying a cryogenic fluid through said substrate for cooling said superconducting material to or below its critical temperature of superconductivity; and at least one joint connector for connecting one length of said substrate with superconducting material coated therein with another length thereof, said joint connector having a plurality of slender elongated rods extending parallel to each other and being spaced from each other, said rods having a coating of ceramic oxide superconducting material thereon, and a perforated frame connected to and supporting said rods in their spaced parallel orientation whereby one end of said rods is insertable into an open end of a substrate for connecting said rods to said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method of producing a superconducting electrical conductor comprising the steps of:
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sintering a multiplicity of ceramic fibers together to form a porous substrate of bonded fibers; coating a ceramic oxide superconducting material on the fibers of the substrate; surrounding the coated substrate with first an inner tube and then an outer tube to define an annular space with the inner tube to provide for evacuation so as to produce a thermal barrier therein; placing electrical and heat insulation on an outer surface of the outer tube; and supplying a cryogenic liquid to the interior of the inner tube for cooling the superconducting material to its critical temperature of superconductivity. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification