Performance Evaluation of a 6,000 A Class Superconducting Field Windings for 600 MW Class Superconducting Generators

Abstract

Superconducting generators have many advantages such as increasing generator efficiency and improving power system stability etc. In Japan, national project has been conducted since 2000 which is aimed at the development of fundamental technologies required for a high output density and a large capacity superconducting generators. This paper describes the results of this project, focusing on a "6,000 A-class field winding development". A superconducting generator with a high output density and a large capacity has inherent factors that decrease superconducting stability. These are: 1) increase in the magnetic field in the winding which is caused by the increase in winding current density and 2) difficulty in fabricating windings which increases as conductor diameter becomes larger. To secure the stability, we adopted a higher-copper content conductor and a design that increases winding fixing pressure, along with devising a winding method that accommodates larger conductor diameter. These improvements were applied to a partial model of a 600 MW field windings. Test results of the model showed a good stability, indicating that design and fabrication technique for a 6,000 A-class superconducting field winding has been successfully evaluated.