Design and Optimization of Stacked High Temperature Superconductor Cable System for Space Solar Power Station

Abstract

Compared to traditional metal cable, high-temperature superconductor (HTS) cable is a promising candidate for the energy transmission in space solar power stations due to its great advantage in high power density and efficiency. These cables can reduce energy losses and simplify the conventional cable transmission by eliminating the need for voltage conversion equipment, thus reducing the launch weight and costs of spacecraft. This paper analyzes the feasibility of superconducting cable power transmission in space spacecraft energy transfer. Addressing the operating conditions of vacuum and cryogenic temperatures for space satellites and the performance indicators required by research projects, this study introduces the overall systematic design scheme of the HTS cable experimental platform simulating a space environment. The design methods for HTS stacked tape round-core cables are discussed, and cable design schemes for the temperature range of 15 K to 77 K are presented. Low-resistance joint designs for the cables have been proposed, and simulation thermal stability analysis has been conducted in combination with the helium cryogenic system.