Thermal design of superconducting cryogenic rotor: Solutions to conduction cooling challenges

Abstract

This paper describes the design and testing of the first cryogenic rotor based on conductively cooled superconducting stacked tape pseudo bulks used in a rotating machine with various magnetisation methods. The rotor design demanded a number of unusual features and constraints that required novel, innovative solutions that may be applicable in other designs. The aim of this work is not to create a complete design manual, rather, to suggest some ideas that could be useful to others who are looking to solve similar problems. The outline of the proposed design is followed by a detailed description of the key systems and their interactions. Several innovative design characteristics are discussed, including calculation of liquid cryogenic cooling. Finally, experimental thermal results indicate that the design calculations are reliable and provide reaffirmation of the overall success of the design.

Keywords

• Superconducting motors
• HTS tapes
• Electrical machines
• Cryogenic experiment
• Conduction cooling