May 18, 2012
Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. is conducting long-term loading cycle tests of 米兰ac体育 cables with the world’s highest voltage class of 275 kV at Shenyang Furukawa Cable Co., Ltd. in Shenyang City, China. The tests are conducted within the framework of the Project for Technological Development of Yttrium-based 米兰ac体育 Equipment (Project leader: Yuh Shiohara, Director General, Superconductivity Research Laboratory) commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). We have laid a high-temperature 米兰ac体育 cable with outdoor termination and intermediate joints, and verified the required performance for high-temperature superconducting power cables. The 30 m 米兰ac体育 cable was manufactured at the VISCAS Corporation’s Ichihara plant. After confirmation of initial performance, we plan to start testing in October this year.
275 kV 米兰ac体育 cable
Testing layout for 275 kV 米兰ac体育 cable
Background
Since high-temperature 米兰ac体育 cables(note 1)are capable of carrying massive amounts of electricity with low loss, the expectation is that they will make significant contributions to energy conservation and the reduction of CO2emissions while allowing for innovative cabling that cannot be achieved with conventional technologies. Based on the premise that the energy-saving effect is greater the larger the transmission capacity, Furukawa Electric has been working since 2008 on developing ultra-high voltage 米兰ac体育 cables within the framework of the Project for Technological Development of Yttrium-based 米兰ac体育 Equipment, allowing for transmission of 1.5 million kW, or three times the power carried by non-米兰ac体育 cables. Until now, the highest voltage for 米兰ac体育 cables developed in Japan and overseas was 66 kV and 154 kV respectively, so the key has been to develop a 米兰ac体育 cable and joints that could withstand high voltages. Last year we aimed to raise the voltage and we successfully developed a 275 kV 米兰ac体育 cable and its outdoor termination(note 2). To confirm long-term performance, we decided to manufacture a model cable with termination and 米兰ac体育, lay it at the test site to conduct long-term loading cycle tests.
Aim of Conducting Tests in China
When transmitting electricity from power plants to the point of consumption through the power lines in the backbone grid, it is the general practice in Japan and overseas to raise the voltage in the underground power cables to transmit massive amounts of electricity. Since the superconducting cables have a compact cross-section size that allows the transmission of large current, it would be possible to lay the cables in pipes instead of in tunnels, as has been the general practice for ultra-high voltage cables in the past. This is expected to reduce construction costs and shorten the construction period. Going forward, we aim to develop ultra-high voltage 米兰ac体育 cables that can be adapted to the construction of new power transmission grids. We believe that verifying the 米兰ac体育 cable in China where the infrastructure for electricity transmission is rapidly progressing will highlight the predominance of Japanese technology for 米兰ac体育 cables and boost competitive strength for the industry in international terms. This is why Furukawa Electric is verifying long-term performance by simultaneously conducting long-term load and distribution tests for 米兰ac体育 cables at Shenyang Furukawa Cable Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary(note 3).
(Note 1)米兰ac体育 cables
By using high-temperature superconducting wires that reach a state of superconductivity at the temperature of liquid nitrogen (minus 196ºC) in the conductor that carries the electric current, 米兰ac体育 cables can conduct large current at low loss via small cross-section areas. Compared with the transmission cables currently in use, these cables are lightweight, compact and capable of delivering large capacity transmission lines without heating. The 米兰ac体育 cable has a core called a former, which is severally wound with Yttrium-based superconducting wire tape in a spiral shape overlaid with electric insulation layers, superconductive shielding layers and protective layers to form the core of the cable. The cable core is packed into insulated tubing.Back to 米兰ac体育
(Note 2)Outdoor termination, 米兰ac体育
The termination and intermediate joints are required fittings for connecting 米兰ac体育 cables. The termination is a terminal that is installed at the cable end to connect with electric equipment installed at room temperature. The intermediate joint connects 米兰ac体育 cables to each other and is necessary when laying cables over long distances. Since the 米兰ac体育 cable is cooled by liquid nitrogen and the conductor is exposed to high voltages, the joints must feature heat insulation for liquid nitrogen temperatures and room temperatures, as well as electric insulation for earth and high voltage.
(Note 3)米兰ac体育., Ltd.
Established as a joint venture between 米兰ac体育., Ltd., Shenyang Cable Co., Ltd., and Itochu Corporation in 1995. Became a wholly owned subsidiary of Furukawa Electric in 2003, taking us to the present. The company owns a plant in Shenyang City, China, and manufactures, sells and installs ultra-high voltage power cables ranging from 66 kV to 500 kV as well as joints and other equipment. Furukawa Electric has transferred product designs, manufacturing and quality control technologies to the company, making it China’s No. 1 manufacturer of ultra-high voltage power cables.
