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Long Island HTS Power Cable – Department of Energy (energy.gov)
2 points by bilsbie on Aug 23, 2022 | hide | past | favorite | 1 comment


High Temp being relative, the demonstrator is presumably showing both practicality, and cost of cooling. Leakage under movement will be interesting.

The "cable" is a sort-of flexible cryostat. It's really amazing in a geek-out kind of way.

Gas injected cables per se are not new, Telco's have used this since forever, the DC in a uni I worked in had 2mbit leased lines which came with little brass taps, each with a tiny water bucket underneath, for purging moisture. Gas injection into suspension bridge cables is a 'thing' too, to keep rust at bay. But this is cryo, not just gas but super cooling. "super" in relative terms, its going to be a lot colder than ambient, and all that brings in terms of surprising materials and environment behaviour.

I am also interested what happens to current when it leaks. I suspect it has massive cut out, because localized hotspot might == sudden giant resistance == mechanical consequences of rapid change in behaviour.




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