Mechanical Performance and Deformation of HTS Cable With Cyclic Electromagnetic Thermal Coupling Process

Abstract

To cope with various superconducting applications, the superconducting tapes in high-temperature superconducting (HTS) cables adopt different winding methods considering material properties and electromagnetic performance. AC or DC HTS power transmission cables used in large quantities are usually spirally wound, and the superconducting tape is stressed during the winding process. To evaluate the influence of electromagnetic factors and contact forces on HTS tapes in the cable generated by electromagnetic field and temperature variation, a theoretical analysis of the stress on the superconducting tape and HTS cable is performed. Based on the electromagnetic-thermal coupling finite element analysis model, MATLAB/COMSOL is used to jointly simulate the stress and strain conditions. The COMSOL electromagnetic-thermal model outputs electromagnetic and temperature parameters for stress and strain simulation. After mechanical simulation, the resulting changes in geometric parameters will be returned to the electromagnetic-thermal model. In this process, the critical current of tapes is affected by the magnetic field, temperature, and stress and is updated iteratively between models. The coupling model established in this study can be used to analyze mechanical performance of HTS cables under overcurrent and overtemperature conditions with different cases such as aircraft electrical power transmission, as well as to evaluate short-term safety and long-term reliability in the future.