Seamless superconducting bearing

and

(NSC) are to exhibit the first superconducting bearing for industrial applications jointly at the “SuperConductingCity,” a forum on superconductivity at the Hannover Fair 2006.

Siemens commissioned NSC to build a prototype suitable for industrial purposes for practical testing. This cooperative venture was part of a 4-MVA HTS generator project supported by BMBF.

The HTS bearing is based on High-Temperature Superconductors (HTS), which support a rotating shaft in a magnetic field through contactless suspension. The shaft is held centrally as a prerequisite for optimum application in high-speed generators and motors.

According to Siemens, HTS bearings can open up a host of new applications or improve existing systems, for example for high-speed drives, generators or turbines. Increasingly flexible high-performance drives are required in the chemical and processing industry.

HTS bearings can be applied is in flywheel power storage systems used in power supplies, in which electrical energy is temporarily stored in the form of rotational energy. When required, the rotating mass is used to drive a generator for feeding current into the power supply system again. High performances are achieved by means of large masses or high speeds. A contactless HTS bearing extends the range of usable speeds upwards and thus increases the power density. In addition, energy losses due to bearing friction can be avoided. NSC is expected to have a bearing of this kind ready before the end of the year.