IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON APPLIED SUPERCONDUCTIVITY, VOL. 9, NO.

2, JUNE 1999
1057

Current Distributions and AC Losses in Self-Fields

for Superconductor Tapes and Cables

Tetsuya Fukunaga
Gifu National College of Technology, Shinsei-cho, Motosu-gun, Gifu, 501-0495Japan

Ryoji Inada and Akio Oota

Toyohashi University of Technology, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi, 441-8580 Japan

Abstract -The alternating current losses in self-fields for
superconductor tapes and cables are investigated using
numerical calculations. In the calculation, the current
distributions and self-field losses for straight superconductors
with the arbitrary sectional geometry are calculated as a
parameter of current amplitude. For the 7-filamentary tapes, the
losses are depending on the filament configurations, which is also
observed experimentally in the 7-filaments samples. In case of
cables, the values of the losses are strongly influenced by the tape
arrangements.The losses for altered cables, which are composed
of a number of same tapes, are different from each other. These
results suggest that the optimization of tape and cable structure,
i.e. the arrangement of the superconductor cores in the cables, is
useful to reduce the loss generations in the cables.
in straight superconductor wires with an arbitrary sectional
geometry [5]. By using this calculation, we are able to
investigate the self-field losses not only for superconductor
tapes but also for cables.
In this paper, we make numerical calculations on the loss
values as a function of lofor 7-filamentary tapes with two
different configurations of superconductor filaments. The
results of calculations are compared with the experimental
results. In addition, the current distributions and the self-field
losses for cylindrical cables are also investigated by the
numerical calculations.
11. THEORY

I. INTRODUCTION According to Norris [l], the loss density Pd per cycle in a

superconductor is expressed as
Realization of power cables for ac transmission lines
requires further investigation of ac self-field losses for high
temperature superconductor (HTS) tapes and cables. The Pd = 4JcCP, (1)
expression for the self-field losses' as -a function of current where J , is the critical current density of the superconductor
amplitude I , is given for superconductor tapes with an elliptic
and 0 is the magnetic flux at peak current Io passing through
or a thin strip cross section in the theory of Norris [l].
between the field-free core ( FFC ) and the observation point.
However, the self-field distributions due to ac transport
The total loss values P per cycle are obtained by integrating
currents in actual HTS tapes and cables are complicated
Pd over the whole part of the superconductor,
because of anisotropic superconductor geometry. From the
For numerical calculation, we regard the superconductor as
results of previous studies, it is indicated that the self-field
a bundle of straight thin fibers with their sectional area dS for
losses for 7-filamentay tapes show a different behavior from
calculations. Under the condition I ~ , d ca, fiber transports a
that for the other multifilamentay tapes [2]. In addition, a
current fragment J,dS outside the FFC, while carrying no
dependence of current distributions and loss values on the
current inside the FFC. In the calculation procedure of the
filament configurations in 7-filamentary tapes was also
current distributions, we calculate the values of CP under the
reported [3], [ 4 ] . These observations are considered as the
condition Io=Ic [ 6 ] .With the calculation result under Io=I,, we
results of the complicated self fields coming from the
complex cross sectional geometry of the superconductor, seek for the fiber with the minimum CP value among all fibers.
Then, we set the current value of this fiber to be 0, so that the
therefore it is difficult to elucidate these phenomena
total current I flowing through superconductor is reduced by
accurately. Furthermore, it seems that the investigations in
JJS (i.e., Z=I,-J,+iS). With the new current distribution, we
self-field losses for superconductor cables also have
difficulties similar to that for the multifilamentary tapes. calculate again the value of CP and take the fiber with the
On the other hand, we had developed a method of minimum CP value. By setting the current of this fiber to be 0,
calculation to obtain current distributions and self-field losses the total current is reduced by U'dS (i.e., I=I,-U,dS) at this
stage. We repeat these processes many times until the current I
reaches the value of Io, so that we obtain the current
distribution for a given current Io (4,). From the result of
Manuscript received September 15th, 1998.
current distribution, we calculate the loss density Pd using (1).
This work was supported in part by the Research Foundation for the Then, the total loss value P is obtained by integrating the Pd
Electrotechnology of Chubu and a Grant-in-Aid for a Basic Research (No. over the whole part of the superconductor.
08455134) and an Encouragement Research (No. 09750333) from the
Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japan.

1051-8223/99$10.00 0 1999 IEEE

1058
MF232(calculation)
loo MF232(experiment)
MF12121 (calculation)
MF1212l(experiment)
I I
0.1 1
Normalized current amplitude r
Fig. 1. The self-field losses plotted against the normalized current
amplitude r ( =fo/fc ) for the 7-filamentary tapes with two different
configurations of superconductor filaments. Open symbols describe the
calculated data and solid symbols represent experimental results. Also
shown by solid and dashed lines are theoretical curves for an elliptic and a
thin strip tapes, respectively.
111. EXPERIMENTAL
The self-field losses for 7-filamentary tapes with two
different configurations of superconductor filaments are
investigated both by experiments and by numerical
calculations. The Ag-sheathed (Bi,Pb)$%2Ca2Cu3Ox 7-
filamentary tapes investigated here were fabricated by a
powder-in-tube method. The observed filament configurations
were obtained by rolling process with proper pressing
directions. The tapes are with dimensions of 3.0 mm wide and
0.2 mm thick. Numerical calculations on current distributions
and self-field losses are made for these tapes by taking into
account the actual size factors. In this calculation procedure,
we assume the cross section of the filament cores in the tapes
as rectangular superconductors.
For the cables, numerical calculations on current
distributions and self-field losses are also made for the models
of parallel-conductor cables composed of rectangular
superconductor tapes as the strand.
Iv. RESULTSAND DISCUSSION
A . Losses for 7-filamentary tapes
Fig. 1 shows the self-field losses for the 7-filamentary
tapes, normalized to ,4?:/2n, with two different
configurations of superconductor filaments plotted against the
0.2
W
v)
z 0.0 0
.-0
*L
1 2 3
c, width (mm)
i 2 3
width (mm)
@I
Fig. 2. Current distributions at /0=0.5/, for the 7-filamentary tapes, (a)
M E 3 2 and @) MF12121. The gray area is current flowing part and the
blank regions in filaments represent the FFC.
normalized current amplitude r ( =IJr, ). The inset in Fig. 1
explains filament configurations in the tapes investigaled
here. MF232 contains sectioned filaments, while MF12121
has the filaments arranged in a more even configuration. Open
symbols in Fig. 1 describe calculated data and solid symbols
represent experimental results. Also shown by solid amd
dashed lines are theoretical curves for an elliptic and a thin
strip tapes. As shown in Fig. 1, the observed loss values for
these tapes fall between the theoretical curves of an ellipse
and a thin strip. The loss values of MF232 are just above the
line for a thin strip at b 0 . 5 though they become significantly
larger than the losses for a thin strip at rc0.4.The losses of
MF12121, however, close to the values for an ellipse in
higher current range although they approach the loss values
for MF232 as current decrease. This dependence of loss
values on the filament configurations is similar to the results
reported by Friend et al. [3]. The loss values for these tapes
are calculated with actual size factors. As can be seen, there is
a good agreement between the experimental data and the
numerical calculations. Since this calculation method is c d y
taking into account the cross sectional geometry of
superconductor, it is clear that the discrepancy between loss
values of these two tapes comes from the difference of
filament configurations.
Fig. 2 shows the calculated results of the current
distributions for these 7-filamentary tapes at Iu=0.51c.As can
be seen, most of transport currents in these tapes are flowing
in the outer filaments. In MF232, it is evident that the FFC is
sectioned into three parts in filaments groups. However, the
FFC in MF12121 forms two regions connected each other in
the center filament. Taken together, it is confirmed that the 7-
filamentary tapes with sectioned filament configurations have
lower loss values than that for the tapes with interdighated
configurations because the FFC in the former tapes is diviided
into sectional regions.

TABLE I
GEOMETRICAL PARAMETERS OF CABLE S
No. of No. of r d, d, Strands
Cables layers strands (mm) (mm) (mm) arrangement
SO single 20 9.575 0.0 - 'i;
s1 single 20 12.775 1.0 - f8
D1A
DlB
double
double
40
40
12.775
12.775
1.0
1.0
0.3
0.3
face-to-face
on the pan
B. Losses for cables
Geometrical parameters of the cables for numerical
calculations are listed in Table I. Calculations are made for
two single-layer cables, SO and S1, and two double-layer
cables, D1A and D1B. The strands in these cables are
assumed to be rectangular superconductor tapes with the
critical current Z,=30 A and actual dimensions of 3.0 mm wide
and 0.1 mm thick. All these tapes are arranged in a parallel
way with a gap between adjacent tapes on the cylindrical
formers. Single layer cables are composed of 20 strands with
the gap length dx=O.Omm for SO and dx=l.Omm for S1.
Double layer cables are composed of 40 (=20x2) strands with
dx=l.Omm and separation d,=0.3 mm between two layers. In
DlA, outer layer tapes are arranged face to face with inner
layer tapes, while the outer layer tapes in D1B are placed on
the gaps between adjacent tapes in inner layer to cover the
gaps.
Fig. 3 shows the self-field losses for the four types of cables
with different tape arrangements plotted against the
normalized current amplitude r. Note that the loss values of
these cables are normalized to ,~4J2/2zV, where N is the
number of strands in the cables. Also shown by solid circles
are the calculated losses for an isolated strand. As shown in
Fig. 3, the loss values for S1 fall just below the losses for an
isolated strand, although the values for SO are significantly
lower than that for an isolated strand at the higher current
range, The losses for double-layer cables are lying above the
theoretical curve for a elliptic tape. The dependence of loss
values for these cables on the current amplitude show variety
of behaviors in spite of the same strands.
To elucidate the loss behaviors for these cables, the density
distributions of self-field losses for investigated cables are
presented in Figs. 4, 5 , 6 and 7. In these figures, the level
region with &=O J/m3/cycle represents the FFC in the tape. As
shown in Fig. 4 (a), the behavior of Pd in the individual tapes
of S1 is very similar to that for the isolated superconductor
tape [5],161. The Pd decreases sharply in going from the edge
to the center of the tape, and the flux lines of self field enter
from the gap to the interior of the cylinder and vertically
penetrate the. tape surface. As current decreases, the FFC
extends into the sides of the tape and the absolute value of Pd
1059
I I I I I I I I \
0 so
loo
2
L
lo-' isolated strand
-28
4 lo-*
.:
8
. I I
0.1 1
Normalized current amplitude r
Fig. 3. The numerically calculated ac transport self-field losses per wire for
cylindrical cables plotted against the normalized current amplitude r. The
open symbols describe the data for single layer and double layers cables.
The solid symbols represent the numerically calculated losses for an
isolated strand. Also shown by solid and dashed lines are the theoretical
curves for an elliptic and a thin strip tapes, respectively.
is reduced. (see Fig. 4 (b)) Similar distributions are
observed in D1A. (see Fig. 6)
In comparison with the results for S1 and DlA, the density
distributions of self-field losses for SO and D1B show some
different aspect. As shown in Fig. 5 , the FFC in SO are wider
than that in S1, which prevents the flux lines from entering the
interior of the cylinder. The FFC in D1B also shields the
strands from vertical penetration of flux lines as shown in Fig.
7. Consequently, the total loss values for these two cables are
reduced.
V. CONCLUSIONS
The self-field losses for superconductor tapes and cables
are investigated using numerical calculations which calculate
the current distributions and the self-field losses for straight
superconductors with the arbitrary sectional geometry as a
parameter of current amplitude. For tapes, it is confirmed that
the 7-filamentary tapes with sectioned filament configurations
have lower loss values than that for the tapes with
interdigitated configurations because the FFC in the former
tapes is divided into sectional regions. For cables, absolute
values of self-field losses are influenced by the tape
arrangement in the cables. These results suggest that the
optimization of tape and cable structure, i.e. the arrangement
of the superconductor cores in the cables, is useful to reduce
the loss generations in the cables.
1060

A -0

(a) Io=0.81c (a)

. . Io=O.81,

@) Io=0.51c
n @) Io=0.51c

Fig. 4. Calculation results for the density distribution of ac transport self- Fig. 5 . Calculation results for the density distribution of ac transport self-
field losses per cycle for S1. field losses per cycle for SO.

uter layer

(a) I0=0.81,

20001
(a) Io=O. SIc
-K
e

20001

@) Io=0.51c Fig. 7. Calculation results for the density distribution of ac transport self-
field losses per cycle for D1 B.
Fig. 6. Calculation results for the density distribution of ac transport self-
field losses per cycle for DlA.

“Explaining the self-field AC loss behavior of silver-clad (Bi,Pb)-;!223

tapes for power engineering applications,” Physica C 279, 1’997,
REFERENCES pp. 145-152.
[4] M. D. Johnston et al., “Current and field distribution within
multifilamentary Bi2223JAg Tapes,” IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond., vol.
[ l ] W. T. Norris, “Calculation of hysteresis losses in hard superconductors
7, pp. 1339-1342, June 1997.
carryingac: isolated conductors and edges of thin sheets,”J. Phys. D 3,
[5] T. Fukunaga, R. lnada and A. Oota, “Field-free core, current disiribuiion,
1970, pp.489-507.
and alternating current losses in self fields ‘for rectangular
[2] B. A. Glowacki, K. G. Sandeman, E. C. L. Chesneau, M. Ciszek, S. P.
superconductor tapes,” Appl. Phys. Lett. vol. 72, 1998, pp.3362-3364.
Ashworth, A. M. Campbell and J. E. Evetts, “The influence of the silver
[6] A. Oota, T. Fukunaga, M. Matsui, S. Yuhya, and M. Hiraoka, “AC
sheathed Bi-2223 conductor architecture on the transport ac losses,”
losses of Ag-sheathed (Bi, Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3OX monofilamentary and
Appl. Supercond. 2, 1997, pp.1437-1440.
multifilamentarytapes,” Physica C 249, 1995, pp. 157-165.
[3] C. M. Friend, S. A. Awan, L. Le Lay, S . Sali, and T. P. Beales,