Solid High-Temperature Superconductors (HTSC) for magnetic storage and transport technologies

Kurzfassung

A Saxon research institute is active in the field of superconduction. It has developed solid High-Temperature Superconductors (HTSC) for applications in the field of contactless storage and transport technology. Several samples for demonstration out of projects with the industry show the application of this HTSC for contactless magnetic bearings. They are seeking partners to jointly develop and manufacture specific demonstrators or application cases of superconducting magnetic bearings.

Details

Superconducting permanent magnets applied for magnetic bearings have the advantage over conventional bearings that no active control of the distance, which otherwise has to be realised between the bearing surfaces, is necessary. That is why the magnetic flow coming from the permanent magnet is firmly positioned in the superconductor, and self-stabilisation results from this. The practical application of superconductors as permanent magnets was out of question until now because of the necessary high cooling efforts with the known materials.
Only with the development of High-Temperature Superconducting Materials (HTSC) obtaining their properties with cooling by liquid nitrogen (-200°C) a practical application in selected fields becomes possible. The institute developed successfully a significant improvement of the frozen magnetic field of YBCO (Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide) materials.
Achieved levitation forces of 15 N/m² enable the application for magnetic bearings and transport systems. Samples of magnetic levitation trains, a lift and storage systems of various sizes demonstrate the possibilities for application of the new materials in innovative storage and transport systems.

Innovative Aspects:
Solid superconductors combined with a permanent magnet enable the manufacturing of superconducting magnet bearings, and with it contactless storage and transport systems.

Contactless storage and transport systems are of interest where abrasion by friction in bearings causes problems, e.g. in clean room handling, bearings with high rotation speeds.