초록 ▼

A method of connecting prefabricated pieces of an HTS cable onsite is disclosed. This quick and reliable procedure of connecting pieces of HTS cable adds to the flexibility of designing and installing power transmission and distribution grids. The joint can also be dissembled such that it can be dis

A method of connecting prefabricated pieces of an HTS cable onsite is disclosed. This quick and reliable procedure of connecting pieces of HTS cable adds to the flexibility of designing and installing power transmission and distribution grids. The joint can also be dissembled such that it can be dismantled for replacing the cable on one side of the connection. The joint can then be reassembled with a new cable in its place. This facilitates repairing the electrical grid in case of local damage to the cable, as well as reconfiguring the grid in case this is required. The complexity of creating demountable HTS cable joints is due to the necessity to create and maintain continuity of several media across the joint along the length of the cable. Various combinations of design options satisfying these requirements are possible.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A connection for use with superconducting cables, each cable comprising stacked high temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes covered by an inner wall, which in turn, is covered by an outer wall, the connection comprising: an electrical joint for connecting a first cable and a second cable;a first

1. A connection for use with superconducting cables, each cable comprising stacked high temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes covered by an inner wall, which in turn, is covered by an outer wall, the connection comprising: an electrical joint for connecting a first cable and a second cable;a first coupling to enclose a cryogenic space disposed inside the inner wall; anda second coupling to enclose a space between the inner wall and the outer wall, wherein the second coupling comprises: a cylindrical extender disposed between the outer walls of the first cable and the second cable;a step disposed on the outer wall of the first cable to secure the cylindrical extender to the first cable; anda V-band clamp securing the cylindrical extender to the second cable. 2. The connection of claim 1, wherein the stacked HTS tapes have a step-shaped end, and wherein the electrical joint comprises: a copper matrix disposed on the end of each step-shaped stack of HTS tapes;a thin layer of indium disposed between the copper matrices; andan electrical clamp compressing the HTS tapes together. 3. The connection of claim 2, wherein the step-shaped end of the first cable is inverted with respect to the step-shaped end of the second cable so as to form an overlapping region. 4. The connection of claim 1, wherein the first coupling comprises a seal fitting to attach the inner wall of the first cable and the inner wall of the second cable. 5. The connection of claim 1, wherein the second cable comprises a first flange on its outer wall and the cylindrical extender comprises a second flange, whereby the V-band clamp holds the first flange and second flange together. 6. The connection of claim 1, wherein each cable further comprises bellows connecting the inner wall and the outer wall so as to enclose a vacuum space. 7. A method of assembling two superconducting cables, where each cable comprises stacked high temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes covered by an inner wall, which in turn, is covered by an outer wall, wherein an end of the stacked HTS tapes is formed in a step shape and soldered with a conductive matrix, the method comprising: electrically coupling the ends of the stacked HTS tapes together;coupling the inner wall of a first cable to the inner wall of the second cable, after electrically coupling the stacked HTS tapes; andcoupling the outer wall of the first cable to the outer wall of the second cable, after coupling the inner walls together, wherein coupling the outer wall of the first cable to the outer wall of the second cable comprises: disposing a cylindrical extender between the outer wall of the first cable and the outer wall of the second cable; andattaching the cylindrical extender to the outer wall of the second cable using a V-band clamp. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein electrically coupling the ends of the stacked HTS tapes comprises: arranging the step shaped ends of the stacked HTS tapes so that the ends are inverted with respect to each other to create an overlapping region;applying a thin layer of indium between the conductive matrices; anddisposing an electrical clamp around the overlapping region; and compressing the ends by tightening bolts in the electrical clamp. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the stacked HTS tapes are longer than the inner wall, such that the stacked HTS tapes are exposed during the electrically coupling. 10. The method of claim 7, wherein coupling the inner wall comprises: using a seal fitting to attach the inner wall from the first cable to the inner wall from the second cable; andtightening a male nut and a female nut to securely couple the inner wall from the first cable to the inner wall from the second cable. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising performing leak testing after tightening the male nut and the female nut. 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the male nut and the female nut were installed on the inner wall during an initial fabrication of the cable. 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the male nut and the female nut are split nuts, and wherein the male nut and the female nut are installed prior to tightening the male nut and the female nut. 14. The method of claim 7, wherein the outer wall of the second cable has a first flange and the cylindrical extender comprises a second flange on its end, and the V-band clamp secures the first flange and the second flange. 15. The method of claim 7, wherein the outer wall of the first cable has a step which holds the cylindrical extender in place. 16. The method of claim 7, further comprising disassembling the two superconducting cables, by: decoupling the outer wall of the first cable from the outer wall of the second cable;decoupling the inner wall of a first cable from the inner wall of the second cable; andelectrically disconnecting the ends of the stacked HTS tapes. 17. A method of assembling two superconducting cables, where each cable comprises stacked HTS tapes covered by an inner wall, which in turn, is covered by an outer wall, wherein an end of the stacked HTS tapes is formed in a step shape and soldered with a conductive matrix, the method comprising: electrically coupling the ends of the stacked HTS tapes together;coupling the inner wall of a first cable to the inner wall of the second cable, after the electrically coupling;coupling the outer wall of the first cable to the outer wall of the second cable, after coupling the inner walls together, wherein coupling the inner wall comprises: using a seal fitting to attach the inner wall from the first cable to the inner wall from the second cable; andtightening a male nut and a female nut to securely couple the inner wall from the first cable to the inner wall from the second cable; andperforming leak testing after tightening the male nut and the female nut. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the male nut and the female nut were installed on the inner wall during an initial fabrication of the cable. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the male nut and the female nut are split nuts, and wherein the male nut and the female nut are installed prior to tightening the male nut and the female nut.