US4336561A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Superconducting transformer
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
•
Filing: 1981-03-13
•
Granted: 1982-06-22
•
Expires: 2001-03-13
Abstract
Abstract A superconducting transformer having a winding arrangement that provides for current limitation when subjected to a current transient as well as more efficient utilization of radial spacing and winding insulation. Structural innovations disclosed include compressed conical shaped winding layers and a resistive matrix to promote rapid switching of current between parallel windings.
Inventors
- 👤 John H. Murphy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 07:33
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01F; H01F36/00; H02; H02H; H02H9/00; H02H9/02; H02H9/023; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E40/00; Y02E40/60; Y10; Y10S; Y10S336/00; Y10S336/01; Y10S505/00; Y10S505/825; Y10S505/85; Y10S505/869; Y10S505/87
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
409 words
A superconducting transformer comprising: a main primary winding having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wire and adapted for connection to an external alternating energizing source; a main secondary winding including at least two serially connected concentrically adjacent layers each having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wire, said main secondary winding being adapted for connection to an external load; said main secondary winding being disposed adjacent to and concentric with the periphery of said main primary winding, such that when said main primary and main secondary windings are energized two minimum field regions are created, one within the innermost winding and one external to the outermost winding; an auxiliary primary winding having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wire disposed adjacent to and concentric with the periphery of said main primary winding, within one of said minimum field regions; and an auxiliary secondary winding including at least two serially connected, concentrically adjacent layers each having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wires, said auxiliary secondary winding being disposed adjacent to and concentric with the periphery of said main secondary winding, within the remaining of said minimum field regions; said main primary and main secondary windings being sized to carry normal operating currents of said transformer; said auxiliary primary and secondary windings being sized to carry predetermined fault and overload currents of said transformer; said auxiliary primary winding being connected in parallel with said main primary winding, and said auxiliary secondary winding being connected in parallel with said main secondary winding; said auxiliary primary and secondary windings having a predetermined radial spacing relative to the main primary and secondary windings respectively, selected to provide different impedance paths, such that negligible current flows in the auxiliary primary and secondary windings until predetermined currents are exceeded in the main primary and secondary windings, at which time the impedance of the main primary and secondary windings increases to cause the auxiliary primary and secondary windings to carry the excess current; said main secondary winding layers having a predetermined radial spacing relative to said main primary winding selected to cause said superconducting transformer to have a lower input impedance when current flows in said main primary and secondary windings, and said auxiliary secondary winding layers having a predetermined radial spacing relative to said auxiliary primary winding selected to cause the input impedance of said superconducting transformer to increase when current flow increases in said auxiliary primary and secondary windings.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
409 words
A superconducting transformer comprising: a main primary winding having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wire and adapted for connection to an external alternating energizing source; a main secondary winding including at least two serially connected concentrically adjacent layers each having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wire, said main secondary winding being adapted for connection to an external load; said main secondary winding being disposed adjacent to and concentric with the periphery of said main primary winding, such that when said main primary and main secondary windings are energized two minimum field regions are created, one within the innermost winding and one external to the outermost winding; an auxiliary primary winding having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wire disposed adjacent to and concentric with the periphery of said main primary winding, within one of said minimum field regions; and an auxiliary secondary winding including at least two serially connected, concentrically adjacent layers each having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wires, said auxiliary secondary winding being disposed adjacent to and concentric with the periphery of said main secondary winding, within the remaining of said minimum field regions; said main primary and main secondary windings being sized to carry normal operating currents of said transformer; said auxiliary primary and secondary windings being sized to carry predetermined fault and overload currents of said transformer; said auxiliary primary winding being connected in parallel with said main primary winding, and said auxiliary secondary winding being connected in parallel with said main secondary winding; said auxiliary primary and secondary windings having a predetermined radial spacing relative to the main primary and secondary windings respectively, selected to provide different impedance paths, such that negligible current flows in the auxiliary primary and secondary windings until predetermined currents are exceeded in the main primary and secondary windings, at which time the impedance of the main primary and secondary windings increases to cause the auxiliary primary and secondary windings to carry the excess current; said main secondary winding layers having a predetermined radial spacing relative to said main primary winding selected to cause said superconducting transformer to have a lower input impedance when current flows in said main primary and secondary windings, and said auxiliary secondary winding layers having a predetermined radial spacing relative to said auxiliary primary winding selected to cause the input impedance of said superconducting transformer to increase when current flow increases in said auxiliary primary and secondary windings.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
117 words
The superconducting transformer of claim 1 wherein the superconducting wire forming the main windings includes a plurality of filaments embedded in a matrix of a first conductive material and the superconducting wire forming the auxiliary windings includes a plurality of filaments embedded in a matrix of a second conductive material, said first conductive material having a higher electrical resistance than said second conductive material to provide an electrically conductive path through the matrix in each of the main windings which has a higher electrical impedance than the impedance of any electrically conductive path through each corresponding auxiliary winding to promote the shunting of electrical currents above a predetermined magnitude from the main windings into the auxiliary windings.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The superconducting transformer of claim 2 wherein the matrix of a first conductive material includes an arrangement of copper and copper alloys and the matrix of a second conductive material includes an arrangement of copper.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The superconducting transformer of claim 2 wherein the matrix of a first conductive material includes an arrangement of aluminum and aluminum alloys and the matrix of a second conductive material includes an arrangement of aluminum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The superconducting transformer of claim 1 wherein certain adjacent layers of the main and auxiliary secondary windings have a conical shape such that as the voltage difference between two radially adjacent turns increases, the radial distance separating said turns increases.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
The superconducting transformer of claim 1 including means for sensing the magnitude of the current flowing in at least one of the main and auxiliary windings, and means responsive to said current sensing means for open-circuiting the main primary and secondary windings when the sensed current exceeds a predetermined level, and for close-circuiting the main primary and secondary windings when the sensed current is below the predetermined level.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The superconducting transformer of claim 6 wherein the sensing means senses the magnitude of the current flow in the auxiliary secondary winding.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
302 words
A superconducting transformer comprising: a main primary winding having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wire and adapted for connection to an external alternating energizing source; a main secondary winding including at least two serially connected concentrically adjacent layers each having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wire, said main secondary winding being adapted for connection to an external load; said main secondary winding being disposed adjacent to and concentric with the periphery of said main primary winding, such that when said main primary and main secondary windings are energized two minimum field regions are created, one within the innermost winding and one external to the outermost winding; an auxiliary primary winding having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wire disposed adjacent to and concentric with the periphery of said main primary winding, within one of said minimum field regions; and an auxiliary secondary winding including at least two serially connected, concentrically adjacent layers each having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wire, said auxiliary secondary winding being disposed adjacent to and concentric with the periphery of said main secondary winding, within the remaining of said minimum field regions; said auxiliary primary winding being connected in parallel with said main primary winding, and said auxiliary secondary winding being connected in parallel with said main secondary winding; said main secondary winding layers having a predetermined radial spacing relative to said main primary winding selected to cause said main windings to have a lower input impedance and said auxiliary secondary winding layers having a predetermined radial spacing relative to said auxiliary primary winding layers selected to cause said auxiliary windings to have a higher input impedance, such that the input impedance of said superconducting transformer increases as current switches out of said main winding layers into said auxiliary winding layers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
302 words
A superconducting transformer comprising: a main primary winding having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wire and adapted for connection to an external alternating energizing source; a main secondary winding including at least two serially connected concentrically adjacent layers each having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wire, said main secondary winding being adapted for connection to an external load; said main secondary winding being disposed adjacent to and concentric with the periphery of said main primary winding, such that when said main primary and main secondary windings are energized two minimum field regions are created, one within the innermost winding and one external to the outermost winding; an auxiliary primary winding having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wire disposed adjacent to and concentric with the periphery of said main primary winding, within one of said minimum field regions; and an auxiliary secondary winding including at least two serially connected, concentrically adjacent layers each having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wire, said auxiliary secondary winding being disposed adjacent to and concentric with the periphery of said main secondary winding, within the remaining of said minimum field regions; said auxiliary primary winding being connected in parallel with said main primary winding, and said auxiliary secondary winding being connected in parallel with said main secondary winding; said main secondary winding layers having a predetermined radial spacing relative to said main primary winding selected to cause said main windings to have a lower input impedance and said auxiliary secondary winding layers having a predetermined radial spacing relative to said auxiliary primary winding layers selected to cause said auxiliary windings to have a higher input impedance, such that the input impedance of said superconducting transformer increases as current switches out of said main winding layers into said auxiliary winding layers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
159 words
Electrical induction apparatus, comprising: at least one pair of superconducting windings, including a main winding having a plurality of turns of superconducting wire, and an auxiliary winding having a plurality of turns of superconducting wire; said auxiliary winding being connected in parallel with said main winding; said superconducting wire forming said main windings including a plurality of filaments of superconducting material embedded in a matrix of a first conductive material and said superconducting wire forming said auxiliary windings including a plurality of filaments of superconducting material embedded in a matrix of a second conductive material, said first conductive material having a higher electrical resistance than said second conductive material to provide an electrically conductive path through said matrix of said main windings which has a higher electrical impedance than the impedance of any electrically conductive path through said auxiliary winding to promote the shunting of electrical currents of a predetermined magnitude from said main windings into said auxiliary windings.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
159 words
Electrical induction apparatus, comprising: at least one pair of superconducting windings, including a main winding having a plurality of turns of superconducting wire, and an auxiliary winding having a plurality of turns of superconducting wire; said auxiliary winding being connected in parallel with said main winding; said superconducting wire forming said main windings including a plurality of filaments of superconducting material embedded in a matrix of a first conductive material and said superconducting wire forming said auxiliary windings including a plurality of filaments of superconducting material embedded in a matrix of a second conductive material, said first conductive material having a higher electrical resistance than said second conductive material to provide an electrically conductive path through said matrix of said main windings which has a higher electrical impedance than the impedance of any electrically conductive path through said auxiliary winding to promote the shunting of electrical currents of a predetermined magnitude from said main windings into said auxiliary windings.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
56 words
Electrical inductive apparatus, comprising: a superconducting winding including at least two serially connected concentrically adjacent layers each having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wire; said adjacent layers of said superconducting winding having a conical shape such that as the voltage difference between two radially adjacent turns increases, the radial distance separating said turns increases.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
56 words
Electrical inductive apparatus, comprising: a superconducting winding including at least two serially connected concentrically adjacent layers each having a plurality of turns formed of superconducting wire; said adjacent layers of said superconducting winding having a conical shape such that as the voltage difference between two radially adjacent turns increases, the radial distance separating said turns increases.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
56 words
Electrical apparatus, comprising: first and second electrical transmissions grids each including first and second sources of alternating potential and first and second load circuits, respectively; the superconducting transformer according to claim 8 wherein the primary windings are connected to said first electrical transmission grid and the secondary windings are connected to said second electrical transmission grid.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-06-21 | 1985-12-21 | 1986-06-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-06-21 | 1989-12-21 | 1990-06-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-06-21 | 1993-12-21 | 1994-06-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |