Bill
05-22-2007, 06:39 PM
As any observant reader knows, america's infrastructure is rotting and obsolete. I've been waiting for years for somebody to start building superconducting trunks...
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"A superconducting power line may be installed under midtown New York in a step towards building a more resilient power grid capable of withstanding lightning strikes and even terrorist attacks.
Energy company Consolidated Edison and technology firm American Superconductor have signed an agreement to test a prototype power line as a step towards upgrading the power grid in New York. Under a project called Project Hydra, a power line could connect two substations in Manhattan using high-temperature superconducting cabling by 2010.
The power lines developed by American Superconductor consist of several individual superconducting cables wrapped around a central tube filled with liquid nitrogen. This liquid nitrogen cools the cables until they experience zero electrical resistance, which allows them to carry up to 10 times more power than copper cabling of the same size.
The cables use a so-called "high-temperature" superconductor material, which experiences zero electrical resistance at relatively high temperatures compared to other superconductors. However, the cables must still be cooled to about -230° Celsius (-43° Kelvin).
Blackout resistantThe superconducting wires, developed by American Superconductor, are also designed to automatically suppress surges that could otherwise cause damage equipment.
If the prototype superconducting power line proves a success, the technology would be deployed across New York's power infrastructure. Ordinary copper electricity cables would be replaced with high-temperature superconductor lines, and new connections would also be created between various points on the power network.
Connecting many different points on the network should mean that, even if a particular substation goes down, power should be rerouted through another part of the network, preventing a blackout.
Financial worriesIn recent years, concerns have been raised about power delivery in New York's financial district, which is seen as vital to the nation's economy. Several incidents have contributed to these worries, including a power outage in the district of Queens in the summer of 2006, and a blackout across the US Northeast, Canada and parts of the Midwest in August 2003.
The Department of Homeland Security will provide up to $25 million funding for the installation of the superconductor cable project, which is expected to cost $40 million in total.
"We have asked AMSC and Consolidated Edison to demonstrate superconductor solutions in New York City that will serve to keep our centres of commerce on-line under all conditions, including grid events related to severe weather, accidents or terrorist attacks," says Jay Cohen, the Department of Homeland Security's undersecretary for technology.
Project Hydra will be carried out in two stages, with deployment of the power line scheduled for 2010.
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http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn11907-superconducting-power-line-to-shore-up-new-york-grid.html
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"A superconducting power line may be installed under midtown New York in a step towards building a more resilient power grid capable of withstanding lightning strikes and even terrorist attacks.
Energy company Consolidated Edison and technology firm American Superconductor have signed an agreement to test a prototype power line as a step towards upgrading the power grid in New York. Under a project called Project Hydra, a power line could connect two substations in Manhattan using high-temperature superconducting cabling by 2010.
The power lines developed by American Superconductor consist of several individual superconducting cables wrapped around a central tube filled with liquid nitrogen. This liquid nitrogen cools the cables until they experience zero electrical resistance, which allows them to carry up to 10 times more power than copper cabling of the same size.
The cables use a so-called "high-temperature" superconductor material, which experiences zero electrical resistance at relatively high temperatures compared to other superconductors. However, the cables must still be cooled to about -230° Celsius (-43° Kelvin).
Blackout resistantThe superconducting wires, developed by American Superconductor, are also designed to automatically suppress surges that could otherwise cause damage equipment.
If the prototype superconducting power line proves a success, the technology would be deployed across New York's power infrastructure. Ordinary copper electricity cables would be replaced with high-temperature superconductor lines, and new connections would also be created between various points on the power network.
Connecting many different points on the network should mean that, even if a particular substation goes down, power should be rerouted through another part of the network, preventing a blackout.
Financial worriesIn recent years, concerns have been raised about power delivery in New York's financial district, which is seen as vital to the nation's economy. Several incidents have contributed to these worries, including a power outage in the district of Queens in the summer of 2006, and a blackout across the US Northeast, Canada and parts of the Midwest in August 2003.
The Department of Homeland Security will provide up to $25 million funding for the installation of the superconductor cable project, which is expected to cost $40 million in total.
"We have asked AMSC and Consolidated Edison to demonstrate superconductor solutions in New York City that will serve to keep our centres of commerce on-line under all conditions, including grid events related to severe weather, accidents or terrorist attacks," says Jay Cohen, the Department of Homeland Security's undersecretary for technology.
Project Hydra will be carried out in two stages, with deployment of the power line scheduled for 2010.
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http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn11907-superconducting-power-line-to-shore-up-new-york-grid.html