AC losses in type-II superconductors induced by nonuniform fluctuations of external magnetic field

Magnetic field fluctuations are inevitable in practical applications of superconductors and it is often necessary to estimate the AC losses these fluctuations induce. If the fluctuation wavelength is greater than the size of a superconductor, known estimates for an alternating uniform external magnetic field can be employed. Here we consider the opposite case and analyze, using a model critical-state problem, penetration of spatially nonuniform fluctuations into type-II superconductors. Numerical simulation is based on a variational formulation of the Bean model. The analytical solutions, found in a weak penetration limit, are used to evaluate AC losses for two types of fluctuations: the running and standing waves. It is shown that for spatially nonuniform fluctuations the losses are better characterized by the fluctuation penetration depth than by the fluctuation amplitude. The results can be used to estimate the AC losses in flywheels, electric motors, magnetic shields, etc.Comment: 18 pages, 5 fugure

Thin shell model of a coated conductor with a ferromagnetic substrate

Coated conductors with magnetic substrates are thin multilayer structures; their high aspect ratio and nonlinear material properties present significant difficulties for numerical simulation. Using the high width-to-thickness ratio of coated conductors we derive an integral formulation for a model based on an infinitely thin approximation for the superconducting layer and a quasistatic thin shell approximation for the magnetic substrate. The proposed model describes electromagnetic response of a coated conductor with a magnetic substrate and is much simpler than the existing models. A single dimensionless parameter characterizes the substrate having a finite magnetic permeability and a finite thickness. An accurate and efficient Chebyshev spectral method is derived for numerical solution. The influence of a magnetic substrate on the superconducting current and AC losses is investigated. In the limiting cases our model solution tends to the known analytical solutions.Comment: Submitted to IEEE Transaction on Superconductivit

Comparison of a Self-Limiting Transformer and a Transformer Type FCL with HTS Elements

A superconducting fault current limiter of the transformer type (inductive FCL) based on magnetic coupling between a superconducting element and a protected circuit has been investigated by many authors for various parameters and performances of a superconducting element. Another design of the device preventing high short-circuit currents is a self-limiting transformer combining the functions of a usual power transformer with the functions of a current limiter. In the presented work we compare the parameters, operation and application of these two devices. The operation of the devices is investigated experimentally on small models fabricated using the same superconducting element. The parameters of the full-scale devices are evaluated. It is shown that the requirements to superconducting elements are practically the same for both devices.Comment: submitted to Applied Superconductivity Conference 200