Superconducting cable connections and methods
AssigneeAdvanced Conductor Technologies LLC
InventorDaniël Cornelis van der Laan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Superconducting cable connector structures include a terminal body (or other structure) onto which the tapes from the superconducting cable extend. The terminal body (or other structure) has a diameter that is sufficiently larger than the diameter of the former of the superconducting cable, so that the tapes spread out over the outer surface of the terminal body. As a result, gaps are formed between tapes on the terminal body (or other structure). Those gaps are filled with solder (or other suitable flowable conductive material), to provide a current path of relatively high conductivity in the radial direction. Other connector structures omit the terminal body.
Claims35
A connector structure for a superconducting cable having a plurality of superconducting tapes wound around a former having a former diameter, the connector structure comprising:
- a terminal body having an outer surface with a diameter that is larger than the former diameter;
- a shell having an interior volume configured to contain at least a portion of the terminal body, the shell having an opening for receiving end portions of the superconducting tapes;
- wherein the end portions of the superconducting tapes are attached to, or located on the outer surface of the terminal body with one or more gaps formed between the end portions of the superconducting tapes attached to, or located on the outer surface of the terminal body;
- wherein a space is provided between the terminal body and the shell, within the interior volume of the shell, the connector structure further comprising a selectively flowable material provided within the space within the interior of the shell.
A method of making a connector structure for a superconducting cable having a plurality of superconducting tapes wound around a former having a former diameter, the method comprising:
- providing a terminal body having an outer surface with a diameter that is larger than the former diameter;
- containing the terminal body within an interior volume of a shell;
- extending end portions of the superconducting tapes into the interior volume of the shell, through an opening within the shell;
- attaching the end portions of the superconducting tapes to the outer surface of the terminal body with one or more gaps formed between the end portions of the superconducting tapes;
- and
- providing a space between the terminal body and the shell, within the interior volume of the shell, and providing a selectively flowable material in the space within the interior of the shell.
A connector structure for a superconducting cable having a plurality of superconducting tapes wound around a former having a former diameter, the connector structure comprising:
- a shell having an interior volume and an opening for receiving end portions of the superconducting tapes into the interior volume, the shell having an interior surface bounding at least a portion of the interior volume;
- wherein the end portions of the superconducting tapes are attached to, or located on the inner surface of the shell with one or more gaps formed between the end portions of the superconducting tapes attached to, or located on the inner surface of the shell.
A method of making a superconducting cable having a plurality of superconducting tapes wound around a former having a former diameter, the connector structure comprising:
- providing a shell having an interior volume and an opening, the shell having an interior surface bounding at least a portion of the interior volume;
- receiving end portions of the superconducting tapes into the interior volume of the shell;
- attaching or locating the end portions of the superconducting tapes on the inner surface of the shell with one or more gaps formed between the end portions of the superconducting tapes attached to, or located on the inner surface of the shell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.