A SUPERCONDUCTING CURRENT LIMITER FOR POWER CONDITIONING IN PLASMA CONFINEMENT SYSTEMS

Award Information

Agency: Department of Energy

Branch: N/A

Contract: N/A

Agency Tracking Number: 17511

Amount: $50,000.00

Phase: Phase I

Program: SBIR

Solicitation Topic Code: N/A

Solicitation Number: N/A

Timeline

Solicitation Year: N/A

Award Year: 1992

Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A

Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A

Small Business Information

Illinois Superconductor

1840 Oak Ave

Evanston, IL 60201

United States

DUNS: N/A

HUBZone Owned: No

Woman Owned: No

Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No

Principal Investigator

Phone: () -

Business Contact

Phone: () -

Research Institution

N/A

Abstract

THIS PROJECT INVOLVES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CURRENT-LIMITING DEVICE DESIGNED TO OPERATE AS A COMPONENT IN HIGH ENERGY FUSION PLASMA POWER CONDITIONING SUBSYSTEMS. THE ACTIVE ELEMENT IN THE PLANNED CURRENT LIMITER IS BASED ON THE HIGH TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTING MATERIAL YBA2CU3O7-X. RECENT ADVANCES IN THE PROCESSING OF THIS MATERIAL GREATLY IMPROVE ITS ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS; DEVICES THAT WILL OPERATE IN THE TENS OF KILOAMPS RANGE WITH VOLTAGES UP TO HUNDREDS OF KILOVOLTS CAN NOW BE ASSEMBLED. SWITCHING SPEEDS ON THE ORDER OF 2 MICROSECONDS WILL ALSO BE DEMONSTRATED. PROBABLE APPLICATIONS INCLUDE USE AS A SAFETY DEVICE THAT PROTECTS POWER SUPPLY THYRISTORS AND AS ULTRAFAST CIRCUIT-BREAKING SWITCHES. IN PHASE I, THESE ADVANCED SUPERCONDUCTOR MATERIALS ARE BEING FABRICATED AND CHARACTERIZED TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR VIABILITY IN FULL-SCALE PLASMA CONFINEMENT SYSTEMS. THIS COULD LEAD TO THE DESIGN, ASSEMBLY, AND TESTING OF A PROTOTYPE FULL SCALE CURRENT-LIMITING DEVICE DURING PHASE II.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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A SUPERCONDUCTING CURRENT LIMITER FOR POWER CONDITIONING IN PLASMA CONFINEMENT SYSTEMS