Effect of Core Structure on the Mechanical and Electromagnetic Properties of High-Temperature Superconducting Cables

Abstract

Research on the mechanical–electrical properties is crucial for designing and preparing high-temperature superconducting (HTS) cables. Various winding core structures can influence the mechanical–electrical behavior of cables, but the impact of alterations in the winding core structure on the mechanical–electrical behavior of superconducting cables remains unclear. This paper presents a 3D finite element model to predict the performance of three cables with different core structures when subjected to transverse compression and axial tension. The three cables analyzed are CORC (conductor-on-round-core), CORT (conductor-on-round-tube), and HFRC (conductor-on-spiral-tube). A parametric analysis is carried out by varying the core diameter and inner-to-outer diameter ratio. Results indicate that the CORT cable demonstrates better performance in transverse compression compared to the CORC cable, aligning with experimental data. Among the three cables, the HFRC cables exhibit the weakest resistance to transverse deformation. However, the HFRC cable demonstrates superior tensile deformation resistance compared to the CORT cable, provided that the transverse compression properties are maintained. Finite element results also show that the optimum inner-to-outer diameter ratios for achieving the best transverse compression performance are approximately 0.8 for CORT cables and 0.6 for HFRC cables. Meanwhile, the study explores the effect of structural changes in HTS cable winding cores on their electromagnetic properties. It recommends utilizing small tape gaps, lower frequencies, and spiral core construction to minimize eddy losses. The findings presented in this paper offer valuable insights for the commercialization and practical manufacturing of HTS cables.