Low temperature electric transmission systems

Claim 2

A low temperature electrical transmission line which comprises an elongated electrical conductor; an elongated conduit positioned around the conductor, the outer surface of said conductor and the inner surface of said conduit forming a substantially annular passage; solid dielectric support means positioned between said conductor and the conduit to physically support said conductor within said conduit; said solid dielectric support means providing a minor fraction of the required dielectric insulation for the transmission line; an elongated outer jacket concentrically positioned around said conduit; thermal insulation positioned within an annulus defined by the outer jacket and said conduit to reduce ambient heat inleakage through said conduit, and means for simultaneously cooling said conductor and electrically insulating the conductor from the conduit and outer jacket.

Claim 3

A low temperature electrical transmission line according to claim 1 wherein said means comprises a circulating cryogenic dielectric cooling liquid selected from the group consisting of liquid nitrogen, liquid helium, liquid hydrogen, and liquid oxygen.

Claim 4

A superconducting electrical transmission line which comprises an elongated conduit having a superconducting material disposed therealong, said conduit having a stream of a cryogenic fluid maintained therein at a temperature sufficiently low to maintain the superconducting character of the said superconducting material; an elongated inner conduit concentrically positioned around the superconductor and maintained at equal potential with the super conductor-supporting conduit; thermal insulation positioned with an annulus defined by the inner conduit and the superconductor-supporting conduit; an elongated outer conduit positioned around the inner conduit; solid dielectric support means positioned between the inner and outer conduits to physically support the inner conduit within the outer conduit, said dielectric support means providing A minor fraction of the required dielectric insulation between the inner and outer conduits of the transmission line; an elongated outer jacket concentrically positioned around the outer conduit; thermal insulation positioned within an annulus defined by the outer jacket and the outer conduit to reduce ambient heat inleakage through the outer conduit, and a dielectric cooling liquid located between said inner and outer conduits for simultaneously cooling said inner conduit and electrically insulating the inner conduit from said outer conduit and outer jacket.

Claim 5

A superconducting electrical transmission line which comprises an elongated conduit having a superconducting material disposed therealong, said conduit having a stream of a cryogenic fluid maintained therein at a temperature sufficiently low to maintain the superconducting character of the said superconducting material; an elongated inner conduit concentrically positioned around the superconductor and maintained at equal potential with the super conductor-supporting conduit; thermal insulation positioned with an annulus defined by the inner conduit and the superconductor-supporting conduit; an elongated outer conduit positioned around the inner conduit; solid dielectric support means positioned between the inner and outer conduits to physically support the inner conduit within the outer conduit, said dielectric support means providing A minor fraction of the required dielectric insulation between the inner and outer conduits of the transmission line; an elongated outer jacket concentrically positioned around the outer conduit; thermal insulation positioned within an annulus defined by the outer jacket and the outer conduit to reduce ambient heat inleakage through the outer conduit, and a dielectric cooling liquid located between said inner and outer conduits for simultaneously cooling said inner conduit and electrically insulating the inner conduit from said outer conduit and outer jacket.

Claim 6

A low temperature electrical transmission line which comprises an elongated conduit; multiple elongated electrical conductors within said conduit, the outer surfaces of said conductors and the inner surface of said conduit forming a fluid passageway; solid dielectric support means positioned between the conductors and the conduit to physically support said conductors within said conduit; said solid dielectric support means providing a minor fraction of the required dielectric insulation between the electrical conductors and the conduit; and elongated outer jacket concentrically positioned around said conduit; thermal insulation positioned within an annulus defined by the outer jacket and said conduit to reduce ambient heat inleakage through said conduit, and a dielectric cooling fluid located in said fluid passageway for simultaneously cooling said electrical conductors and electrically insulating the conductors from said conduit and outer jacket.

Claim 7

A low temperature electrical transmission line which comprises an elongated conduit; multiple elongated electrical conductors within said conduit, the outer surfaces of said conductors and the inner surface of said conduit forming a fluid passageway; solid dielectric support means positioned between the conductors and the conduit to physically support said conductors within said conduit; said solid dielectric support means providing a minor fraction of the required dielectric insulation between the electrical conductors and the conduit; and elongated outer jacket concentrically positioned around said conduit; thermal insulation positioned within an annulus defined by the outer jacket and said conduit to reduce ambient heat inleakage through said conduit, and a dielectric cooling fluid located in said fluid passageway for simultaneously cooling said electrical conductors and electrically insulating the conductors from said conduit and outer jacket.

Claim 8

A low temperature electrical transmission line which comprises; plurality of elongated electrically neutral conduits each containing an electrical conductor, the inner surface of each conduit and the outer surface of the electrical conductor contained therein forming a substantially annular passage; solid dielectric support means positioned within each substantially annular passage for physically supporting each electrical conductor within each conduit respectively, said solid dielectric support means providing a minor fraction of the required dielectric insulation for the transmission line; and outer elongated conduit enclosing said plurality of electrically neutral conduits, said plurality of conduits being nestled together within the confines of said outer conduit; an elongated outer jacket concentrically positioned around said outer conduit; thermal insulation positioned within an annulus defined by the outer jacket and said outer conduit to reduce ambient heat inleakage through said outer conduit, and means for simultaneously cooling each of said electrical conductors and electrically insulating each of said conductors from all of said conduits and said outer jacket respectively, all of said conduits and said outer jacket being at approximately the same potential.

Claim 9

A low temperature electrical transmission line which comprises; plurality of elongated electrically neutral conduits each containing an electrical conductor, the inner surface of each conduit and the outer surface of the electrical conductor contained therein forming a substantially annular passage; solid dielectric support means positioned within each substantially annular passage for physically supporting each electrical conductor within each conduit respectively, said solid dielectric support means providing a minor fraction of the required dielectric insulation for the transmission line; and outer elongated conduit enclosing said plurality of electrically neutral conduits, said plurality of conduits being nestled together within the confines of said outer conduit; an elongated outer jacket concentrically positioned around said outer conduit; thermal insulation positioned within an annulus defined by the outer jacket and said outer conduit to reduce ambient heat inleakage through said outer conduit, and means for simultaneously cooling each of said electrical conductors and electrically insulating each of said conductors from all of said conduits and said outer jacket respectively, all of said conduits and said outer jacket being at approximately the same potential.