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An Efficient Environment
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Technology licensed by Metal Oxide Technologies, Inc. from the Space Vacuum
Epitaxy Center (SVEC)
, a NASA Commercial Space Center, could help bring
this about through the use of High-Temperature Superconducting (HTS) wires.
Such wires offer many possibilities, and work is now underway on a pilot
plant to produce HTS wires for use in power line transformers.
According to Lou Castellani, the president of Metal Oxide Technologies and
a 25-year power industry veteran, "The breakthrough came a few years ago
when Dr. Alex Ignatiev and his team developed a process for the rapid
deposition of a very pure form of HTS material." This technology was
leveraged from the thin film epitaxial growth science and technology done
by SVEC on the ground and using the Wake Shield facility, a free-flying
research facility deployed from the Shuttle. " I really knew we were on
the right track when Federico Pena, the former U.S. Secretary of Energy,
stated that 'High temperature superconducting materials can be one of our
greatest weapons in the fight against climate change, and they can also
create a significant new market for U.S. industry.' What really got my
attention" states Castellani, "was when Pena estimated the worldwide market
for HTS power technology to be at least $30 billion/year early in the next
century... and the next century isn't too far away"
"HTS wire, especially in the thin film form that we have developed, can
carry extremely high currents with almost no loss," states Dr. Alex
Ignatiev, the Director of the Space Vacuum Epitaxy Center. "As a result,
the size of a transformer can be reduced by approximately half, and there
will be less loss. Also, these transformers will have no need for oil
cooling, eliminating environmental concerns with transformer fires, oil
spills, and PCB contamination from the oil."
Castellani states that he "became interested in the opportunity in 1996
based on my knowledge of the extraordinary market potential and the fact
that we had SVEC, a NASA commercialization center in Houston. We formed
MetOx in 1997 with a vision of our basic coated conductor material being
used in numerous applications. It's a simple business strategy a narrowly
focused product in a large and growing market. It took us a while, but we
finally executed the License Agreement in October 1998. Since then, Alex
has continued to improve the material. Our current prototype material has
been tested at more than an order of magnitude increase in performance."
Of course, HTS wires are not limited to power transformers notes Dr.
Ignatiev, "They also have applications beyond transformers including
motors/generators (much smaller size), large magnets and power transmission
lines." Work is underway to find commercial partners interested in
pursuing these applications.
For more information on the Space Product Development Program, contact
spd@msfc.nasa.gov.
For more detailed information on SVEC or the HTS wires, please contact Dr.
Alex Ignatiev at 713-743-3621.
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