Superconducting bus bar

Apparatus for simultaneously supplying cryogenic fluid and electrical power comprising a conduit arrangement comprising conduit sections, each comprising superconducting material for conducting electrical power to an electrical subsystem and a channel for transporting cryogenic fluid to said electrical subsystem at a predetermined low temperature to cool said superconductive material to conduct electrical power at or near zero level of electrical resistance and to cool said electrical subsystem;

• wherein said conduit arrangement comprises first and second conduit sections, each section comprising a channel formed by a shell consisting essentially of superconducting material, said channel of said first section for transferring cryogenic fluid from a cryogenic fluid source to an electrical subsystem and said channel of said second section for transferring cryogenic fluid from said subsystem to said cryogenic fluid source, said shell of one of said first and said second sections for providing an electrical current path from an electrical power source to said subsystem, and said shell of the other of said first and said second sections for providing an electrical current return path from said subsystem to said electrical power source;
• wherein said first and said second sections are joined at a junction of one end of each said section to form a continuous channel for fluid from one fluid connection point of a cryogenic fluid source to another fluid connection point of said cryogenic fluid source and said shells of said first and said second sections are electrically isolated from each other at said junction to provide electrically independent paths between an electrical power source and said subsystem.

Apparatus for simultaneously supplying cryogenic fluid and electrical power comprising a conduit arrangement comprising conduit sections, each comprising superconducting material for conducting electrical power to an electrical subsystem and a channel for transporting cryogenic fluid to said electrical subsystem at a predetermined low temperature to cool said superconductive material to conduct electrical power at or near zero level of electrical resistance and to cool said electrical subsystem;

• wherein said conduit arrangement comprises a section of heat conducting material having a longitudinal axis and having at least one passage formed therein extending in the longitudinal direction of said section of heat conducting material for conveying cryogenic fluid and at least one additional passage formed therein extending in the longitudinal direction for supporting an elongated member of superconductive material therein, said elongated member of superconductive material for conducting electrical current while maintained at a superconducting temperature by the conducting of heat from said elongated member through said heat conducting material to cryogenic fluid flowing in said at least one passage for conveying cryogenic fluid;
• wherein said heat conducting material is copper, said elongated member of superconducting material being in electrical contact with said copper, whereby said copper forms a path for conducting electrical power in said conduit in the event that said superconducting material loses its superconducting properties.

Apparatus for simultaneously supplying cryogenic fluid and electrical power comprising a conduit arrangement comprising conduit sections, each comprising superconducting material for conducting electrical power to an electrical subsystem and a channel for transporting cryogenic fluid to said electrical subsystem at a predetermined low temperature to cool said superconductive material to conduct electrical power at or near zero level of electrical resistance and to cool said electrical subsystem;

• further comprising a source of cryogenic fluid comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and an electrical power source having an electrical input and an electrical output terminal;
• said conduit arrangement comprising a first conduit section comprising a conduit wall consisting essentially of superconducting material to form a channel in communication with said fluid outlet of said source of cryogenic fluid and a second conduit section extending within said channel of said first conduit section and comprising a conduit wall consisting essentially of superconducting material to form a channel in communication with said fluid inlet of said source of cryogenic fluid;
• said apparatus further comprising means for connecting said electrical input terminal to said wall of one of said first and said second conduits and for connecting said electrical output terminal to said wall of the other of said first and said second conduits.

Apparatus including a cryogenic fluid conducting vessel and a dual electrical power distribution apparatus, comprising a first fluid conduit formed by a shell consisting essentially of superconducting material for conducting fluid flow in a first direction and a second fluid conduit formed by a shell consisting essentially of superconducting material for conducting fluid flow in a second direction, and means for making electrical connections to said first and said second conduits for connecting a plurality of electrical devices to said first and said second conduits, and means for providing cryogenic fluid from said conduits to ones of said plurality of electrical devices for cooling said ones of said devices whereby said shells of said first and said second conduits are cooled when cryogenic fluid is flowing in said conduits to provide two electrically conducting paths between electrical devices connected thereto;

• wherein said first and said second fluid conduits comprise a plurality of interconnected longitudinally extending shell sections and coupling means comprising electrically conducting material and electrically connected to said shell sections for conveying electrical power across junctions of said shell sections;
• wherein said coupling means comprises threaded screw couplers having a coefficient of expansion greater than the coefficient of expansion of said shell sections whereby said couplers act to force said sections closer together as said sections are cooled.