Based on knowledge and experience gained through previous projects a super conducting busbar system with 200.000 A DC will be further developed.

The functional efficiency of the following components which have to be developed predominantly will be demonstrated in a test stand:

• modular current lead with 200.000 A
• busbar system consisting of busbar elements with modular conductor structure
• interface between current lead and busbar system

Additionally auxiliary equipment and the systems of the LN2 cooling circuit have to be integrated into system design and construction as well as sensor and control equipment and safety management. The development tasks contain extensive calculations of magnetic fields and current forces arrangement of super conducting tapes and optimized layout evaluation of electrical, thermal and construction data of all components.

All site components will be integrated into a 3D model in order to check critical geometric situations. Based on the 3D model all necessary documents will be produced for erection, commissioning and experimental operation. With this pilot it is possible to follow the operating conditions of the aluminium plant at Voerde. The elaborated design requirements which are mainly defined by the associated partner Trimet will be checked and verified during the test operation.

This development is planned to be a pure R&D project without direct industry application. Therefore this experimental set-up contains only components which are absolutely necessary. The required operating temperature of 70 K is provided by the project partner Messer using a new innovative concept.

A 200.000 A DC system can go beyond the range of the present physically limited HVDC transfer technology. The super conducting high DC technology offers the potential for energy efficient, ecological and economic energy transmission in the Gigawatt range with society acceptance.