Trends in Superconducting Linear Electric Machines

Abstract

Superconductivity is a state of matter that allows a constant flow of electrical current with little to no dissipation, provided that the working temperature T, applied magnetic field B, and current I are below a critical surface in a (T, B, I) space. The development of superconducting tapes and bulk materials has allowed the development of superconducting electrical devices that can outperform their counterparts made with copper wires. In this paper we introduce the substantial characteristics of superconductors and examine several applications of superconducting linear machines and their most recent developments. A classification of the machine design is given based on the use of superconducting DC or AC coils, bulk or stacked tapes.