Total AC loss of BSCCO/Ag tapes in power applications, an engineering approach to describe the AC loss in tapes and coils

In electric power applications, BSCCO superconducting tapes are exposed to an alternating magnetic field while simultaneously an alternating transport current is flowing through the conductor. The magnetic field has various orientations with respect to the tape surface. An engineering function to describe the AC loss in a BSCCO/Ag tape is developed. The expression describes the total AC loss in a wide range of magnetic fields (with different orientations) and transport currents. In this approach the specific properties of BSCCO tape e.g. the shape of the conductor cross-section and the magnetic field dependent voltage–current relation are taken into account. The equation is based on the analytical expressions available, and adjusted to measured data. The AC loss of a coil wound of BSCCO tape is calculated, the result is compared with measured data and possibilities to reduce the loss are considered.