US2008191561A1PendingUtilityA1

Parallel connected hts utility device and method of using same

46
Assignee: FOLTS DOUGLAS CPriority: Feb 9, 2007Filed: Feb 9, 2007Published: Aug 14, 2008
Est. expiryFeb 9, 2027(~0.6 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Douglas C. FoltsJames MaguireJie YuanAlexis P. Malozemoff
H02H 9/02H01B 12/06H01B 12/02H10N 60/30H10N 60/20Y02E40/60H01B 12/16H02H 7/001H02H 9/023
46
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims

Abstract

A superconducting electrical cable system is configured to be included within a utility power grid. The superconducting electrical cable system includes a superconducting electrical path interconnected between a first and a second node within the utility power grid. A non-superconducting electrical path is interconnected between the first and second nodes within the utility power grid. The superconducting electrical path and the non-superconducting electrical path are electrically connected in parallel. The superconducting electrical path has a lower series impedance, when operated below a critical current level, than the non-superconducting electrical path. The superconducting electrical path has a higher series impedance, when operated at or above the critical current level, than the non-superconductor electrical path.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A superconducting electrical cable system configured to be included within a utility power grid, the superconducting electrical cable system comprising:
 a superconducting electrical path interconnected between a first and a second node within the utility power grid; and   a non-superconducting electrical path interconnected between the first and second nodes within the utility power grid;   wherein the superconducting electrical path and the non-superconducting electrical path are electrically connected in parallel;   wherein the superconducting electrical path has a lower series impedance, when operated below a critical current level, than the non-superconducting electrical path, and   wherein the superconducting electrical path has a higher series impedance, when operated at or above the critical current level, than the non-superconductor electrical path.   
   
   
       2 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 1  wherein the series impedance of the superconducting electrical path, when operating in a non-superconducting mode, is at least N times the series impedance of the non-superconducting electrical path, and wherein N is greater than 1. 
   
   
       3 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 2  wherein N is greater than or equal to 3. 
   
   
       4 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 2  wherein N is greater than or equal to 5. 
   
   
       5 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 1  wherein the superconducting electrical path includes one superconducting electrical cable, whereby the non-superconducting electrical path is external of the superconducting electrical cable. 
   
   
       6 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 1  wherein the superconducting electrical path includes two or more superconducting electrical cables. 
   
   
       7 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 1  wherein the non-superconducting electrical path includes at least one non-superconducting electrical cable. 
   
   
       8 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 1  wherein the non-superconducting electrical path includes at least one non-superconducting electrical overhead line. 
   
   
       9 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 1  wherein the non-superconducting electrical path includes at least one of: one or more buses; one or more substations; one or more reactor assemblies; and one or more fast switch assemblies. 
   
   
       10 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 5  wherein the superconducting electrical cable includes a centrally-located axial coolant passage configured to allow for axial distribution of a refrigerant through the centrally-located axial coolant passage. 
   
   
       11 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 5  wherein the superconducting electrical cable includes one or more HTS conductors. 
   
   
       12 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 11  wherein at least one of the HTS conductors is constructed of a material chosen from the group consisting of: rare-earth-barium-copper-oxide; thallium-barium-calcium-copper-oxide; bismuth-strontium-calcium-copper-oxide; mercury-barium-calcium-copper-oxide; and any of the MgB 2  magnesium diboride compounds. 
   
   
       13 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 11  wherein at least one of the one or more HTS conductors includes a stabilizer layer having a total thickness within a range of 200-400 microns and a resistivity within a range of 3-10 microOhm-cm at 90 K. 
   
   
       14 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 13  wherein the stabilizer layer is constructed, at least in part, of a brass material. 
   
   
       15 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 11  wherein at least one of the one or more HTS conductors is configured to operate in a superconducting mode below a critical current level. 
   
   
       16 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 15  wherein at least one of the one or more HTS conductors is configured to operate in a non-superconducting mode at or above the critical current level. 
   
   
       17 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 1  wherein the superconducting electrical path includes a fast switch assembly. 
   
   
       18 . The superconducting electrical cable system of  claim 1  wherein the non-superconducting electrical path includes a reactor assembly. 
   
   
       19 . A method of controlling fault currents within a utility power grid comprising:
 coupling a superconducting electrical path between a first and a second node within the utility power grid; and   coupling a non-superconducting electrical path between the first and second nodes within the utility power grid;   wherein the superconducting electrical path and the non-superconducting electrical path are electrically connected in parallel;   wherein the superconducting electrical path has a lower series impedance, when operated below a critical current level, than the non-superconducting electrical path, and   wherein the superconducting electrical path has a higher series impedance, when operated at or above the critical current level, than the non-superconductor electrical path.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the series impedance of the superconducting electrical path, when operating in a non-superconducting mode, is at least N times the series impedance of the non-superconducting electrical path, and wherein N is greater than 1. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein N is greater than or equal to 3. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein N is greater than or equal to 5. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the superconducting electrical path includes one superconducting electrical cable, whereby the non-superconducting electrical path is external of the superconducting electrical cable. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the superconducting electrical path includes two or more superconducting electrical cables. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the non-superconducting electrical path includes at least one non-superconducting electrical cable. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the non-superconducting electrical path includes at least one non-superconducting electrical overhead line. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the non-superconducting electrical path includes at least one of: one or more buses; one or more substations; one or more reactor assemblies; and one or more fast switch assemblies. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the superconducting electrical cable includes one or more HTS conductors, the method further comprising:
 configuring at least one of the one or more HTS conductors to operate in a superconducting mode below a critical current level.   
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising:
 configuring at least one of the one or more HTS conductors to operate in a non-superconducting mode at or above the critical current level.   
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the superconducting electrical cable includes one or more HTS conductors and at least one of the HTS conductors is constructed of a material chosen from the group consisting of: rare-earth-barium-copper-oxide; thallium-barium-calcium-copper-oxide; bismuth-strontium-calcium-copper-oxide; mercury-barium-calcium-copper-oxide; and any of the MgB 2  magnesium diboride compounds. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the superconducting electrical path includes a fast switch assembly. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the non-superconducting electrical path includes a reactor assembly. 
   
   
       33 . A superconducting electrical cable configured to be included within a utility power grid, the superconducting electrical cable comprising:
 a hollow axial core:   one or more conductive layers of superconducting material positioned coaxially with respect to the hollow axial core;   a shield layer positioned coaxially with respect to the hollow axial core; and   an insulation layer positioned coaxially with respect to the hollow axial core and positioned between the one or more conductive layers and the shield layer.   
   
   
       34 . The superconducting electrical cable of  claim 33  wherein the superconducting material includes an HTS material. 
   
   
       35 . The superconducting electrical cable of  claim 33  wherein the HTS material includes a stabilizer layer having a total thickness within a range of 200-400 microns and a resistivity within a range of 3-10 microOhm-cm at 90 K. 
   
   
       36 . The superconducting electrical cable of  claim 33  wherein the stabilizer layer is constructed, at least in part, of a brass material. 
   
   
       37 . The superconducting electrical cable of  claim 33  wherein the HTS material is chosen from the group consisting of: rare-earth-barium-copper-oxide; thallium-barium-calcium-copper-oxide; bismuth-strontium-calcium-copper-oxide; mercury-barium-calcium-copper-oxide; and any of the MgB 2  magnesium diboride compounds. 
   
   
       38 . The superconducting electrical cable of  claim 33  wherein the hollow axial core is configured to allow for axial distribution of a refrigerant within the superconducting electrical cable. 
   
   
       39 . The superconducting electrical cable of  claim 38  wherein the hollow axial core forms, at least in part, a coolant passage. 
   
   
       40 . The superconducting electrical cable of  claim 33  wherein the superconducting material is configured to operate in a superconducting mode below a critical current level. 
   
   
       41 . The superconducting electrical cable of  claim 33  wherein the superconducting material is configured to operate in a non-superconducting mode at or above the critical current level.

Cited by (0)

No later patents cite this yet.

References (0)

No backward citations on record.