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Energy availability is a cornerstone for practically any kind of human activity. Superconducting materials provide unparalleled opprotunities for energy transport and which made possible massive improvements in medical diagnostics, energy sector, transport and science. Reflecting this impact global superconductor market volume is about $7 billion, while the average growth rate is about 7.5% per year: the technology is in high demand now and is shaping the technology of the future.

SuperOx

SuperOx develops breakthrough superconducting solutions for energy sector, transport and science applications using so called high temperature superconductors (HTS) – the most dynamic field of superconductivity with annual growth over 35%.

Superconductors are record-breaking materials of energy efficiency and current density. These materials are the best choice for creating high magnetic fields. Most of today’s magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners contain coils made of niobium-based low temperature superconductors (LTS). The magnet coils of two landmark multi-billion breakthrough projects – Large Hadron Collider and International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor – are made of LTS as well.

Due to superior properties at higher temperatures and at higher magnetic fields, high temperature superconductors (HTS) create new market opportunities. HTS are oxide-based superconductors, which discovery was crowned by 1987 Nobel Prize in physics. HTS wire technology was developed in the 2000s, while the large scale production effectively commenced in the 2010s. HTS have significant advantages over LTS and conventional conductors, such as reduced requirements for cryogenic cooling, higher current density, ability to carry larger current at ultrahigh magnetic fields, and lower losses at alternating current (e.g. 50 Hz and higher frequencies).

For some time, HTS market growth was constrained by limited production volumes and the high price of HTS wire. However, the production volume of HTS wires grew by 10 times over the past decade, while the market price was decreased from 600 $/kAm to the range of 150-250 $/kAm. It is highly likely that this astounding dynamic will repeat itself in the coming decade.

According to the International Energy Association, new global market niches for HTS power equipment will unveil themselves after reaching the HTS wire market price at 50 $/kAm level. Experts predict that serial production of power grid HTS equipment will likely take place by 2025, while HTS wires will penetrate broad market by 2030, executing Blue Ocean Strategy at a full scale.

SuperOx holds a stable position developing key technologies for HTS equipment and elaborating emerging market segments. Company efforts are focused on development, production and operation of electric power equipment, electric propulsion systems and high field magnets.

Having no direct analogues, Superconducting Fault Current Limiters (SFCL) are a new tool for electric power industry, opening new opportunities for electric grid construction. SFCL provides protection against short-circuit currents and enables power companies to safely interconnect large sections of a power grid, increasing thus their transmission capacity. Today, SuperOx is the global leader in SFCL technology: its 220 kV-class device was commissioned in 2019 being the most powerful SFCL up to date. SuperOx anticipates to widen the use of the SFCL technology in Russia and expects entrance into global market with this product.

HTS power cables enable transmission of electricity, while taking up several times less space comparing to conventional cables. As they do not emit heat or electromagnetic radiation, the use of HTS cables in cities and industries is highly promising. Industrial implementation of HTS cables in large power systems is underway: such cables are already operating in Germany, Korea, USA, China and Japan. First Russian HTS cable is being constructed in Saint Petersburg by ROSSETI Federal Grid Company. SuperOx takes its part in power cable development, creating technologies for compact HTS cables, in particular for electric propulsion systems.

HTS-based electric propulsion systems have a potential to disrupt modern transport. Perspective propulsion system including superconducting motors, generators, cables, energy storage and protection devices, is set to increase fuel efficiency, reduce CO2 emission and noise, while improving vehicle dynamics. Aviation and shipbuilding are priority areas for HTS electric propulsion systems, as weight and dimensions are of a primary importance in those industries. In cooperation with partners and alone, SuperOx develops and tests key superconducting components for electric propulsion technology of the future.

High field HTS magnets set new standards of quality in a wide range of applications:

  • colliders and accelerators (including medical),
  • compact fusion reactors with magnetic confinement,
  • inductive and kinetic energy storage devices,
  • inductive heaters for aluminum industry,
  • magnetic separators for ore processing plants,
  • high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging,
  • high-resolution NMR spectrometry,
  • magnetic levitation systems.

SuperOx is developing technologies of HTS application in magnets. HTS magnet built by SuperOx enables to create a high-power electric propulsion thruster prototype, which can become a key element of a space tug and can be effectively used for the Moon, Mars and deep space exploration. To produce thrust, this engine uses 10 times less fuel than conventional chemical jet engines. The outstanding performance of this space thruster demonstrator was achieved only due to the use of superconducting technologies for effectively creating high magnetic field.

In 2022 SuperOx developed and manufactured a superconducting magnet with a record magnetic field of 20 T further advancing company’s magnetic system development competence.

The creation and development of these solutions for the electric power industry and transport ensures the implementation of the company's strategy - the commercialization of environmentally friendly and energy-efficient technologies.