Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.2
2.4
Journals
Crystals
Special Issues
Research on High-Temperature Superconducting Materials
share announcement

Research on High-Temperature Superconducting Materials

A special issue of Crystals (ISSN 2073-4352). This special issue belongs to the section "Inorganic Crystalline Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 December 2023) | Viewed by 19518

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hongye Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
Interests: high-temperature superconductivity; numerical modelling of high-temperature superconductors; design and analysis of electric machines; superconducting flux pump; electromagnetism; high power electromagnetics; fault diagnosis for high voltage power devices; machine learning
Dr. Kévin Berger

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
GREEN, Université de Lorraine, F-54000 Nancy, France
Interests: high-temperature superconducting (HTS) cables for railway network; magnetization and characterization of HTS bulks; pulsed magnetization; multiphysics modeling; design of electrical engineering applications using HTS
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, superconductor technology has attracted increasing attention because of the advancements in material manufacturing technology and the reduction in cost. High-temperature superconductors (HTSs) have become progressively appealing on account of their commercial availability and superior current carrying capacity compared to low-temperature superconducting materials. However, there still exist many challenges with regard to their stability and reliability in practical applications since HTSs can be quenched when exposed to a complex electromagnetic environment. For example, a high magnetic field can cause a reduction in the critical current, and significant power dissipation can lead to the occurrence of a hot spot. To successfully exploit HTSs in practice, it is of great significance to clarify their electro-mechanical-thermal behaviours in different scenarios.

The properties of high-temperature superconducting materials are determined by both their intrinsic characteristics (e.g., crystal structure, grain, defect, etc.) and the external environment (e.g., temperature, pressure, electromagnetic field, etc.). Nevertheless, the physical mechanism behind the superconductivity of such inorganic crystalline ceramics remains unclear, as it cannot be fully explained by either the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory, the resonating valence bond theory, or the spin fluctuation theory.

In view of the above, it is worth further investigating the correlation between the high-temperature superconductivity and the microscopic structures of HTSs and exploring their electromagnetic, mechanical, as well as thermal characteristics in various physical/chemical/engineering scenarios. This Special Issue is aimed at providing a useful platform for scientists and researchers working in superconductivity related domains to share new insights and advancements in understanding, characterisation, and application of HTSs, addressing a variety of facets of the topic, including (but not limited to) the following:

  • Analytical, numerical, and experimental studies of HTSs
  • Electro-mechanical-thermal analysis of HTSs
  • Superconductivity mechanism
  • Quantum effect
  • Crystal structure
  • Advanced material processing and manufacturing
  • Application of HTSs
  • Characterization method of full size HTSs for applications
  • Quench protection

Dr. Hongye Zhang
Prof. Dr. Kévin Berger
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Crystals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • analytical, numerical, and experimental studies of HTSs
  • electro-mechanical-thermal analysis of HTSs
  • superconductivity mechanism
  • quantum effect
  • crystal structure
  • advanced material processing and manufacturing
  • application of HTSs
  • characterization method of full size HTSs for applications
  • quench protection

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

14 pages, 7156 KiB  
Article
Mechanical Analysis and Testing of Conduction-Cooled Superconducting Magnet for Levitation Force Measurement Application
by Liyuan Liu, Wei Chen, Huimin Zhuang, Fei Chi, Gang Wang, Gexiang Zhang, Jing Jiang, Xinsheng Yang and Yong Zhao
Crystals 2023, 13(7), 1117; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst13071117 - 17 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1608
Abstract
High-temperature superconductors have great potential for various engineering applications such as a flywheel energy storage system. The levitation force of bulk YBCO superconductors can be drastically increased by increasing the strength of the external field. Therefore, a 6T conduction-cooled superconducting magnet has been [...] Read more.
High-temperature superconductors have great potential for various engineering applications such as a flywheel energy storage system. The levitation force of bulk YBCO superconductors can be drastically increased by increasing the strength of the external field. Therefore, a 6T conduction-cooled superconducting magnet has been developed for levitation force measurement application. Firstly, to protect the magnet from mechanical damage, reliable stress analysis inside the coil is paramount before the magnet is built and tested. Therefore, a 1/4 two-dimensional (2D) axisymmetric model of the magnet was established, and the mechanical stress in the whole process of winding, cooling down and energizing of the magnet was calculated. Then, the charging, discharging, and preliminary levitation force performance tests were performed to validate the operating stability of the magnet. According to the simulation results, the peak stresses of all coil models are within the allowable value and the winding maintains excellent mechanical stability in the superconducting magnet. The test results show that the superconducting magnet can be charged to its desired current of 150 A without quenching and maintain stable operation during the charging and discharging process. What is more, the superconducting magnet can meet the requirements for the levitation force measurement of both low magnetic field and high magnetic field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on High-Temperature Superconducting Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 4897 KiB  
Article
Numerical and Experimental Analysis of the ZFC Heat Release from a YBCO Bulk and Validation of YBCO Thermal Parameters
by António J. Arsénio Costa, João F. P. Fernandes, Rui Melicio, Carlos Cardeira and Paulo J. Costa Branco
Crystals 2023, 13(3), 532; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst13030532 - 20 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1897
Abstract
This article presents results from a simple experimental methodology used to determine the amount of heat transferred from an yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO) bulk to liquid nitrogen (LN2) and LN2 consumption during the process of zero-field cooling (ZFC). The thermal power [...] Read more.
This article presents results from a simple experimental methodology used to determine the amount of heat transferred from an yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO) bulk to liquid nitrogen (LN2) and LN2 consumption during the process of zero-field cooling (ZFC). The thermal power can be determined from the YBCO bulk temperature variation, which is difficult to measure with accuracy. In this procedure, the thermal power from the YBCO bulk to LN2 is determined from the measured rate of LN2 evaporation, considering the LN2 latent heat. To reduce the influence of room temperature heating and make the LN2 mass variation depend as much as possible on the heat released from the YBCO bulk, a step transient from room temperature into the LN2 is performed. The precision of results is determined from the rate of LN2 evaporation due to room temperature heating with the bulk already cooled by ZFC. The temperature evolution at the bulk lateral surface where the heat transfer is higher is also measured. The results from experimental measurements are compared with 3D finite element analysis (FEA) numerical results. The obtained evolutions of the temperature and thermal power from the YBCO bulk are used to validate YBCO thermal parameters, such as thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity at constant pressure. The YBCO bulk equivalent heat capacity and thermal resistance are determined by analyzing the equivalent first-order thermal lumped parameter circuit based on the obtained evolutions in time of the YBCO temperature and heat transferred to the LN2. The characteristics of dependence of the YBCO thermal resistance and heat capacity with temperature are obtained by correlating their time evolutions with the bulk average temperature evolution in time. The YBCO-specific heat capacity at constant pressure is then calculated by dividing the obtained bulk heat capacity by the bulk mass. The YBCO thermal conductivity is calculated from the obtained thermal resistance considering an equivalent bulk section and length toward the main direction of heat flux. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on High-Temperature Superconducting Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 8437 KiB  
Article
Influence of Fault Current and Different Oscillating Magnetic Fields on Electromagnetic–Thermal Characteristics of the REBCO Coil
by Wei Chen, Rong Jin, Shuxin Wang, Yunyang Ye, Fei Chi, Minghai Xu, Liyuan Liu, Yece Qian, Yufeng Zhang and Boyang Shen
Crystals 2022, 12(12), 1688; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst12121688 - 22 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1895
Abstract
When the high-temperature superconducting (HTS) REBCO (rare-earth barium copper oxide) coil is applied in a power system, a large amount of heat may be generated due to the short-circuiting of the system, resulting in the thermal instability of the coil. Moreover, under complex [...] Read more.
When the high-temperature superconducting (HTS) REBCO (rare-earth barium copper oxide) coil is applied in a power system, a large amount of heat may be generated due to the short-circuiting of the system, resulting in the thermal instability of the coil. Moreover, under complex working conditions, the oscillating external magnetic field will further aggravate the coil quench. In this paper, the electromagnetic–thermal coupling model is used to analyze the loss, current distribution and temperature distribution of the REBCO coil under short-circuit fault conditions and oscillating external magnetic fields. In order to get closer to the actual situation, the modeling of the superconducting tape adopts the real tape structure, and the resistivity of the superconductor is described by the modified E-J relationship. Four cases are considered for the oscillating external magnetic field, i.e., sine, triangle, sawtooth and square cases. This model has certain significance as a reference for understanding the thermal stability of coils in extreme cases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on High-Temperature Superconducting Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 4395 KiB  
Article
Study on the Electromagnetic Characteristics of Ring-Shaped Superconducting Permanent Magnets for Medical Applications
by Chen Zhao, Jinhong Shi, Jie Sheng and Wanli Chen
Crystals 2022, 12(10), 1438; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst12101438 - 12 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1936
Abstract
The ring-shaped superconducting permanent magnet, with its great advantages in flexible sizing and trapped field, has become a potential candidate for portable medical applications. However, due to the complex geometry involved, it is difficult to predict its electromagnetic performance by traditional numerical methods. [...] Read more.
The ring-shaped superconducting permanent magnet, with its great advantages in flexible sizing and trapped field, has become a potential candidate for portable medical applications. However, due to the complex geometry involved, it is difficult to predict its electromagnetic performance by traditional numerical methods. This paper presents a field-circuit coupling method to study the entire magnetization process of the ring-shaped magnet. Firstly, the principle of the numerical method is introduced and it is proved to be sufficient for a ring-shaped magnet with a large turn number. Then, the numerical model is used to discuss the relationship between pulse waveform and magnitude of trapped field. Next, the accumulation effect under multi-pulse magnetization is theoretically analyzed and proved by both experiments and simulation. Finally, based on the numerical model, a study on the decay process of ring-shaped magnets is also presented. Conclusions from this paper will be helpful for obtaining the optimization strategy of magnetization of ring-shaped magnets for practical medical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on High-Temperature Superconducting Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 10926 KiB  
Article
Study on Loss and Thermal Properties of a Superconducting Pancake Coil under Self-Field and Analysis of Its Influencing Factors
by Yufeng Zhang, Jinfei He, Tiantian Chen, Jiayi Wang and Guanghui Du
Crystals 2022, 12(9), 1314; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst12091314 - 18 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2091
Abstract
High-temperature superconducting (HTS) coils generate local heat during the transmission of alternating current (AC), resulting in a decrease in thermal stability. The influence of relevant factors on the local heating location and temperature of the coil is still unclear. In order to strengthen [...] Read more.
High-temperature superconducting (HTS) coils generate local heat during the transmission of alternating current (AC), resulting in a decrease in thermal stability. The influence of relevant factors on the local heating location and temperature of the coil is still unclear. In order to strengthen the protection and operation monitoring of the superconducting coil, it is necessary to research this. Based on the H-formulation, the paper uses the electromagnetic–thermal coupling finite element method (FEM) to establish a two-dimensional (2D) axisymmetric model of the YBCO coil. The AC loss and temperature when the coil transmits alternating currents of power frequency are analyzed. Firstly, the internal temperature distribution of the coil is analyzed, and the influence of the turn number on the location of the highest temperature is discussed. For a 16-turn coil, the effects of the convective heat transfer coefficient and the thickness of the insulating layer between two turns on the magneto-caloric properties of the coil are discussed, respectively. The results show that, below 100 turns, the highest temperature of the coil occurs near the inner side; improving the heat transfer efficiency and appropriately reducing the thickness of the inter-turn insulating layer is beneficial to suppress the temperature rise and reduce the temperature difference inside the coil. The research conclusions provide a reference for the design and protection monitoring of HTS coils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on High-Temperature Superconducting Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1611 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Different Copper Discs on the Discharge of Superconducting Coils
by Yajun Xia, Yuntao Song, Huajun Liu, Zhen Lu, Jinxing Zheng, Fang Liu and Meng Song
Crystals 2022, 12(8), 1118; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst12081118 - 10 Aug 2022
Viewed by 1776
Abstract
High temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets often work at high energy density and have slow quench propagation speed, so a quench will present a serious risk to the safety of magnets. The quench protection method based on the dump resistance can effectively reduce the [...] Read more.
High temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets often work at high energy density and have slow quench propagation speed, so a quench will present a serious risk to the safety of magnets. The quench protection method based on the dump resistance can effectively reduce the current and release the energy in the HTS magnets. However, too large dump resistance may cause excessive voltage across the magnets. A quench protection system consisting of dump resistances and metal discs has been proposed. Copper discs are often embedded in HTS magnets for conducting cooling and mechanical support. In the discharging process of HTS magnets, the copper discs can absorb energy from the magnets through magnetic coupling, thus accelerating the current decay of the magnets. This quench protection method is more effective than using dump resistance alone. In this paper, the effect of different copper discs on the discharging process of HTS coils is discussed. Eight types of copper with different residual resistivity ratios (RRR) are applied. The results show that with the increase of the RRR of the copper disc, the current decay rate of the coil increases, and the energy absorbed by the copper disc from the coil increases. The role of different copper discs in the fast quench protection of the coil can be sorted as: RRR = 300 > RRR = 100 > RRR = 80 > RRR = 60 > RRR = 40 > RRR = 30 > RRR = 20 > RRR = 10. The copper disc with RRR of 300 shows the best performance in quench protection of HTS coils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on High-Temperature Superconducting Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

30 pages, 4812 KiB  
Review
High Temperature Superconducting Flux Pumps for Contactless Energization
by Zezhao Wen, Hongye Zhang and Markus Mueller
Crystals 2022, 12(6), 766; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst12060766 - 26 May 2022
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 5248
Abstract
The development of superconducting technology has seen continuously increasing interest, especially in the area of clean power systems and electrification of transport with low CO2 emission. Electric machines, as the major producer and consumer of the global electrical energy, have played a [...] Read more.
The development of superconducting technology has seen continuously increasing interest, especially in the area of clean power systems and electrification of transport with low CO2 emission. Electric machines, as the major producer and consumer of the global electrical energy, have played a critical role in achieving zero carbon emission. The superior current carrying capacity of superconductors with zero DC loss opens the way to the next-generation electric machines characterized by much higher efficiency and power density compared to conventional machines. The persistent current mode is the optimal working condition for a superconducting magnet, and thus the energization of superconducting field windings has become a crucial challenge to be tackled, to which high temperature superconducting (HTS) flux pumps have been proposed as a promising solution. An HTS flux pump enables current injection into a closed superconducting coil wirelessly and provides continuous compensation to offset current decay, avoiding excessive cryogenic losses and sophisticated power electronics facilities. Despite many publications regarding the design and analyses of various types of HTS flux pumps, the practical application of HTS flux pumps in a high-performance superconducting machine has been rarely reported. Therefore, it is of significance to specify the main challenges for building and implementing a reliable HTS flux pump. In addition, the physical mechanisms of distinct HTS flux pumps have caused some confusion, which should be clarified. Above all, a systematic review of the recent development and progress of HTS flux pumps remains lacking. Given the above-mentioned issues, this paper summarized the most up-to-date advances of this emerging technology, clarified the working mechanisms and commonly adopted modeling approaches, presented objective analyses of the applicability of various HTS flux pumps, specified the primary challenges for implementing HTS flux pumps, and proposed useful suggestions to improve this wireless excitation technology. The overall aim of this work is to bring a deep insight into the understanding of HTS flux pumps and provide comprehensive guidance for their future research and applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on High-Temperature Superconducting Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-7
Back to TopTop