Superconducting Cables are Coming. I’m Not Joking

Summary

This video explores the potential of superconductors in revolutionizing the electric grid. While superconductors eliminate electrical resistance and allow lossless energy transmission, they currently face challenges, such as the need for extremely low temperatures and complex production. However, the American company VEIR is developing a novel cooling system based on evaporating nitrogen, which could reduce cooling stations and increase efficiency. Despite the promise, issues like cost, reliability, and maintenance of these superconducting cables persist. The video ends with a brief promotion of educational resources on Brilliant.org.

Takeaways

• 🔋 Superconductors can conduct electricity without resistance, which means electric currents travel without energy loss.
• 🚄 Superconductors also repel magnetic fields, making them useful for applications like magnetically levitating trains.
• ❄️ Most superconductors require extremely low temperatures or high pressure to function, making them impractical for widespread use.
• 🌡️ High-temperature superconductors, which work above minus 196 degrees Celsius, can be cooled with liquid nitrogen, but they are still challenging to produce and brittle.
• 💡 Superconducting power lines already exist but require complex structures with coolant systems, unlike traditional copper wires.
• 💸 Cooling systems for these superconducting lines are energy-intensive, potentially offsetting the efficiency gains they offer.
• 🏭 VEIR, a company in Massachusetts, proposes a new approach using evaporative cooling with nitrogen to make superconducting power lines more efficient.
• 🔧 VEIR’s design could reduce the need for frequent cooling stations along the power lines, potentially spacing them up to 100 kilometers apart.
• 🤔 Challenges remain, including the reliability of these systems at large scales, the cost of high-temperature superconductors, and the potential for environmental issues like icicles and impacts on birds.
• 📚 The script also promotes Brilliant.org as a resource for learning more about science and technology through interactive courses.

Q & A

What is a superconductor?

A superconductor is a material that has no electrical resistance, allowing electric currents to travel without energy loss. It also has the property that magnetic field lines cannot enter the material, which enables phenomena like magnetic levitation.

Why are superconductors challenging to use in practice?

Superconductors are difficult to use because they require either extremely low temperatures or high pressures to function. Additionally, they are often brittle and hard to produce, making them unsuitable for practical applications like drawing into wires for power lines.

What are high-temperature superconductors, and why are they called that?

High-temperature superconductors are materials that become superconducting at temperatures above -196 degrees Celsius. While this is still extremely cold, it's considered 'high' because the material can be cooled with liquid nitrogen, which is more practical than cooling to lower temperatures required by other superconductors.

What are some limitations of current superconducting power lines?

Current superconducting power lines require energy for cooling, and the coolant (typically liquid nitrogen) warms up as it flows, needing to be re-cooled every 5 kilometers or so. This setup is cumbersome and costly to build and maintain, limiting their efficiency and practicality.

How does the VEIR company's approach to superconducting cables differ?

VEIR's approach involves letting liquid nitrogen evaporate along the cable, rather than just pumping it through continuously. This evaporative cooling method is more efficient and reduces the number of cooling stations needed along the power line.

What are the advantages of VEIR's cooling system for superconducting cables?

VEIR's cooling system provides additional cooling through nitrogen evaporation, which is more efficient. This design potentially reduces the need for frequent cooling stations along the power line, with VEIR claiming they could space them every 100 kilometers, significantly extending the distance between them.

What challenges remain with scaling VEIR's superconducting cable technology?

Some challenges include the high cost of high-temperature superconductors, limited suppliers, uncertainties about reliability over large distances, and environmental issues like the formation of icicles on cables. Additionally, the technology has only been tested over short distances so far.

How do superconducting cables compare to regular power cables?

Superconducting cables have no resistive losses and can carry more power without overheating, potentially reducing the number of cables needed. However, they require complex cooling systems, whereas regular cables like copper wires are simpler but lose energy due to resistance.

What could be the environmental impact of using superconducting power lines?

One potential issue is that superconducting power lines could cause icicles to form, which could be problematic for maintenance and safety. Additionally, there are concerns about how birds interacting with the cables could be affected, such as having their feet freeze to the cables.

What are some potential future developments for superconducting power lines?

Future developments could include larger-scale testing of VEIR's technology in partnership with energy companies like National Grid. If successful, superconducting power lines could revolutionize the electric grid by reducing energy loss and allowing for more efficient power transfer over long distances.