Terminal for connecting a superconducting multiphase cable to a room temperature electrical equipment
OwnerPiero Metrainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A terminal for connecting a superconducting multiphase cable, a superconducting three-phase cable for example, to a room temperature electrical equipment is described. The terminal includes a casing with cooling fluid, inside which the three cable superconductors are each connected with a resistive conductor the end of which is connected to the room temperature equipment phases at the outside of the casing. The terminal includes superconducting connectors between the three neutral superconductors and a single resistive conductor the end of which is externally associated with the room temperature equipment. The neutral superconducting connectors and the junction area of the connector of the single conductor are disposed inside the cold area of the casing.
Claims20
A thermally insulated terminal for connection between a multiphase cable and electrical equipment at room temperature, said cable comprising, for each phase, at least one coaxial unit having a phase superconductor, an interposed electric insulating layer and a coaxial neutral superconductor, and in addition, thermal-control means for keeping said superconductors of each of said coaxial units in a superconductive state, said terminal comprising:
- at least one casing;
- cooling means for cooling the interior of said casing to a temperature lower than the critical temperature at which superconductivity occurs;
- a live current lead for each phase superconductor, having a related phase connector for connection to said room temperature equipment, wherein each said current lead is provided with a resistive conductor for connection intermediate a phase superconductor and said connector of the current lead to provide connecting areas between said resistive conductors and phase superconductors, said connecting areas being disposed within the casing;
- a single neutral current lead provided with a single neutral resistive conductor, an end of said neutral current lead being connected to a neutral connector for connection to the room temperature equipment;
- connection means made of superconducting material for connection between each neutral superconductor and said single neutral resistive conductor to provide a junction area between said connection means of superconducting material and said single neutral resistive conductor, said junction area and at least said connection means being internal of the casing;
- said casing including a vacuum portion containing at least said single neutral conductor;
- and
- thermal control means formed of a plurality of mutually independent circuits having respective cooling fluids, each of said circuits consisting of a double-walled cylinder inside which said fluids circulate, said cylinders being disposed mutually offset in a coaxial relation at least about said single neutral conductor, said superconducting connection means and said junction area for connection to the neutral resistive conductor being maintained under their critical temperature by the presence, in a portion of the casing, of a channel into which cooling fluid circulates.
A thermally insulated terminal for interconnecting a superconductor multiphase cable end and electrical equipment at room temperature, said multiphase cable comprising, for each phase, at least a coaxial cable, each coaxial cable having:
- a phase superconductor comprising superconductor material;
- an encircling coaxial neutral superconductor comprising superconductor material;
- and
- an electric insulating layer between the phase superconductor and the neutral superconductor;
- said terminal comprising:
- at least one casing maintained at a temperature for keeping each of said phase and neutral superconductors at a superconductive temperature;
- a phase current lead for each phase superconductor having a first end and a second end and including a phase resistive conductor, wherein said first end is disposed within the casing and is for connection to the respective phase superconductor and wherein said second end is at room temperature and is for electrical connection to said electrical equipment;
- a single neutral current lead having a first end and a second end and including a single neutral resistive conductor, wherein said first end of said neutral current lead is disposed within the casing;
- a connecting superconductive conductor disposed in said casing and for electrical connection of all of the neutral superconductors to said first end of said neutral current lead;
- and
- wherein said second end of said neutral current lead is at room temperature and is for connection to said electrical equipment.
A method of connecting a superconducting multiphase cable having a plurality of phase superconductors and a neutral superconductor for each phase conductor maintained at a superconducting temperature, to a room temperature electrical equipment, comprising:
- connecting each phase superconductor to a corresponding phase element of said equipment, and
- connecting the neutral superconductors to corresponding neutral elements of said equipment,
- characterized in that the step of connecting the neutral superconductors to the corresponding neutral elements comprises:
- connecting said neutral superconductors with each other at an area having said superconducting temperature, and
- connecting said neutral superconductors to said neutral elements of the equipment through a single current lead.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.