Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
metox
The Electricity Marketplace:
Superconducting Power Transmission
Alex Ignatiev
Center for Advanced Materials
Texas Center for Superconductivity
and
Metal Oxide Technologies, Inc.
The 2006 Power Conference
June 29, 2006
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
metox
US Power Transmission System
• Increasingly CONGESTED…
• $800 B Infrastructure
• $240 B Yearly Market
• NEW TECHNOLOGIES Needed to Relieve
Congestion
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
metox
New Grid Technologies
• Conductors / Cables *
• Intelligent Controls – Smart Grid
• Modular Equipment – Standardized/Flexible *
• Energy Storage *
• Distributed Energy (*)
* Directly Impacted by Superconducting Technologies
CAM
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
metox
High Temperature Superconductivity*
180
8/1993*
160
HgBaCaCuO
140
Liq. CF4
BaCaCuO
TC (K)
120
BiSrCaCuO
1/1988
YBCO
(LBCO)
60
20
* -- under pressure
red: by the LTHP Group of UH
Liq. He Nb
1920
LaBaCuO
12/1986*
LaBaCuO
LaBaCuO
12/1986*
Nb3Sn
NbN
NbC
Liq. H2
Pb
Hg
0
1900
1/1987
(11/1986)
Liq. N2
40
* Not Really High Temp ~ 100K
~ -300F
BUT Above Liquid Nitrogen Temp
TlBaCaCuO
4/1993
1/1997
2/1988
100
80
8/1993*
6/1997*
V3Si
1940
4/1986
Nb3Ge
Nb-Al-Ge
1960
YEAR
1980
2000
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
metox
Superconductivity and Electric Energy
Transmission and Utilization
• Superconducting Wire
• High Temp Superconducting Ceramics
• YBa2Cu3O7-x - YBCO
(93K)
• Bi2Sr2Ca2O7 - BSCCO (112K)
How to Make Ceramic Wire ?
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
How do we get
from this
to this?
CAM
metox
CAM
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
metox
First Generation Powder-in-Tube Wire
Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O7
Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O7
Powder
Silver Tube
• Use Traditional Wire Pulling Methods
• Moderate Current Carrying Capacity
• Reduced Performance in Magnetic Field
• 30-70 K Operating Temperature
• Industry Product - $$$ ~ $200/KA•m
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
metox
2nd Generation Coated Conductor Wire
YBa2Cu3O7-x
• Use Thin Film Technology
• Flexible Thin Film Ceramic (YBCO)
• Strong Metallic Foil Substrate
• Very High Current Carrying Capacity
• Industry R&D - Product Under Development
• LN2 Operation : 77K
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
metox
2nd Generation Superconducting Wire
• Challenges
• Reduce Cost of Manufacturing
• Increase Current Carrying Capacity
• Support Field Repair
• Reduce Cost of HTS Equipment
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
metox
2nd Generation Superconducting Wire
• Solution
• Metal Oxide Technologies, Inc. (MetOx) HTS Wire
• Proprietary Process of HTS Film Growth
• High Product Throughput
• High Current Capacity
Bu
ffe
r
• Proprietary Buffer Layer Process
YBCO
Metallic Foil Substrate
• Reduced Cost of Capital/Materials/Operation
• Projected 1,000 meter Production Lengths
CAM
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
metox
MetOx Superconducting Wire
• Lowest capital and production cost
• Continuous single pass with simple architecture
• Thicker superconducting layer (more current per wire)
• Accommodate different wire shapes (design flexibility)
• Easier to join & repair
Performance
amps/sq-cm
Price per
1000A-m
Cost to
Operate
MetOx 2G HTS
1,000,000
$25
Moderate
Other 2G HTS
1,000,000
$200
Moderate
Copper
1,000
$25
Low - high
1G HTS
30,000
$250
Moderate
200,000
$25
Very high
Wire Type
LTS
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
metox
Superconducting Conductors/Cables
• Backbone of Electric Energy Delivery System
Requires HTS Wire
• Expand Current Carrying Capacity
• No/Minimum Need for New Rights of
Way/Real Estate
• Initially Replace Existing Grid Bottlenecks
• Cool With Liquid Nitrogen/Cryocooler
• Realize Complete HTS Grid
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
metox
Superconducting Conductors/Cables
• Energy Savings of up to 15% (~$30B)
•
•
•
•
•
Power Density 50x ACSR
DC - DC Transmission
345 kV +
Underground Cable
Liq Nitrogen Cooled
• Less Weather Problems
• Less Vehicular Problems
• Less Siting Challenges
• Fewer Outages - Economics
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
metox
Superconducting Equipment:Transformers
Requires HTS Wire
• Efficiency Approaching ~100%
• > 30 x Power Density
• Lower Weight by 45%
• No Cooling Oils / Fire-Explosion Dangers
• Ease of Siting – In Buildings / In Urban Areas
• > 20% Reduction in Cost of Ownership
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
Superconducting Equipment:
Fault Current Limiters
Requires HTS Wire
• Eliminate Expensive
Circuit Breakers
• Generator Protection
• Line Protection
• Transformer Protection
• ½ Cycle Recovery After Fault Clear (8 msec)
metox
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
metox
Superconducting Equipment:Generators
Requires HTS Wire
• Initial Cold Rotor Design
• Upgrade / Retrofit
• Increase Power Output > 20%
• Increase Efficiency ~ 1%
• Eliminate Rotor Thermal Cycling
• Future COMPLETELY HTS Generator
• 1/5 Size
• 1/4 Mass
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
metox
Superconducting Equipment:
Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage
(SMES)
Requires HTS Wire
• Energy Stored in the Magnetic Field Generated By
Circulating Current
• Storing and Instantaneously Discharging Large
Quantities of Energy
• ~98% Efficient
• Load Leveling
• Power quality control
• Reactive Power
Center for Advanced Materials
University of Houston
NASA Research Partnership Center
CAM
metox
High Temperature Superconductors
and
The Power Transmission Grid
• Significant Energy/Dollar Savings  > $30B
• Significant Increase in Grid Capacity  > 50 X
• Significant Increase in Grid Stability  ~ 99%
• BUT…..
• Electric Power Business Sector Conservative/Embedded
• Long Asset Lifetime  Large Inertia to Change
• Need Fed Support and More Aggressive Business Practices
• MUST HAVE Cost Effective HTS Wire in the Market……