Description of capability
Makoto Takayasu has invented and patented a design for making cables out of REBCO superconducting material. This approach is fundamentally different from the twisted-stack cabling method (based on a 2009 patent), aka “TSTC”, that CFS has licensed from MIT.
Key people
Technology Readiness Level (1-9)
4
Needs that this could potentially address
Most industries that would benefit from superconducting material:
- MRI manufacturers
- Nuclear fusion companies
- Electric Transmission companies like VEIR
- Maglev trains, space launchers
- etc. This could take the form of a Superconducting Cable Company.
Tech specs
| TSTC | Rutherford-type | |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | - | Resistant to transverse load |
| Bending | Difficult to bend in any direction | Easy to bend in one direction |
| Cross section | - | Smaller cross-section for a given current |
| AC losses | - | Lower |
| Current distribution | - | More uniform |
| Design flexibility | Only one place for cooling channel | Flexible location for cooling channel |
Estimated time & cost to commercialize
2 years and $500k to make a machine and start producing cables
Outstanding risks
- “Cooling in conduit” has not yet been demonstrated
- Cost per meter is unknown
- Ease of roll-to-roll production is still unproven