Superconductor switching arrangement
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorsChristoher G. BRIGHT, Adam J. MCLOUGHLIN
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a superconductor switching arrangement, including: a superconductor having a plurality of first connection zones and at least one second connection zone, the first and second connection zones being connectable by at least one superconducting path in use, a quenching device which is operable to selectively quench portions of the superconductor so as to remove the superconducting path between at least two of the first connection zones and the at least one second connection zone.
Claims20
A superconductor switching arrangement, comprising:
- a superconductor having a plurality of first connection zones and at least one second connection zones, the first and second connection zones being connectable by at least one superconducting path in use,
- a quenching device which is operable to selectively quench portions of the superconductor so as to remove the superconducting path between at least two of the first connection zones and the at least one second connection zone.
A superconductor switching arrangement as claimed in claim I further comprising a heater for selectively heating portions of the superconductor body.
A method of switching between electrical connection zones of a superconductor switching arrangement which comprises:
- a superconductor having a plurality of first connection zones and at least one second connection zones, the first and second zones being connectable by a superconducting path in use,
- a quenching device which is operable to selectively quench portions of the superconductor so as to remove the superconducting path between at least one of the first connection zones and the at least one second connection zone,
- the method comprising the steps of:
- connecting at least one first electrical circuit to the plurality of first connection zones;
- connecting at least one second electrical circuit to the at least one second connection zone;
- putting the superconductor into a superconducting state;
- quenching at least one region of the superconductor with the quenching device so as to quench regions of the superconducting device and provide a superconducting path between at least one of the first connection zones and the at least one second connection zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.