An alternative approach to flux pumping in superconducting devices is described for fast and extremely precise tuning of the current during persistent mode operation. Rather than bringing in new flux from outside the circuit, the alternative approach stores a small flux in a tunable inductor (also referred to herein as a “flux bank”) at the initial point of powering. Flux can be transferred back and forth from this bank to the main coil by simply changing the inductance of the bank. This allows for fine and fast adjustments of the persistent current without the use of thermal switches found in other approaches (which limit the adjustment speed and accuracy).

A magnetic/energetic apparatus for purifying gas mixtures comprises a vortex tube and magnetic elements. Such an apparatus can include an inlet valve configured to receive a gas mixture having one or more disposed paramagnetic gas species and one or more diamagnetic gas species; a high-shear environment energetic separation chamber coupled to the inlet valve; a plurality of magnetic elements coupled to an outer wall of the high-shear environment separation chamber, wherein each of the plurality of magnetic elements are arranged so as to have a respective pole alternating in polarity with respect to an adjacently positioned magnetic element so as to induce a field gradient between each of the adjacently positioned magnetic elements and within the inner wall of the high-shear environment separation chamber; and at least one exit valve so as provide a substantially separated one or more paramagnetic gas species from the one or more diamagnetic gas species.

An oxide superconducting bulk magnet able to prevent breakage of a superconducting bulk member and able to give a sufficient amount of total magnetic flux at a superconducting bulk member surface even under high magnetic field strength conditions, comprising an oxide superconducting bulk laminate formed from sheet-shaped oxide superconducting bulk members and high strength reinforcing members arranged between the stacked oxide superconducting bulk members, the outer circumference of the oxide superconducting bulk laminate being provided with an outer circumference reinforcing member.

A hybrid superconductive device for stabilizing an electric grid comprises (a) a magnetic core arrangement at least partially carrying an AC winding the AC winding connectable to an AC circuit for a current to be limited in the event of a fault; (b) at least one superconductive coil configured for storing electromagnetic energy; the superconductive coil magnetically coupled with the core arrangement and saturating the magnetic core arrangement during use. The hybrid superconductive device further comprises a switch unit preprogrammed for switching electric current patterns corresponding to the following modes: at least partially charging the superconductive coil; a standby mode when the superconductive coil is looped back; and at least partially discharging the superconductive coil into the circuit. Optionally, hybrid superconductive device comprises at least one passage located within said magnetic flux. The passage conducts a material flow comprising components magnetically separable by said magnetic flux.

A hybrid superconductive device for stabilizing an electric grid comprises (a) a magnetic core arrangement at least partially carrying an AC winding the AC winding connectable to an AC circuit for a current to be limited in the event of a fault; (b) at least one superconductive coil configured for storing electromagnetic energy; the superconductive coil magnetically coupled with the core arrangement and saturating the magnetic core arrangement during use. The hybrid superconductive device further comprises a switch unit preprogrammed for switching electric current patterns corresponding to the following modes: at least partially charging the superconductive coil; a standby mode when the superconductive coil is looped back; and at least partially discharging the superconductive coil into the circuit. Optionally, hybrid superconductive device comprises at least one passage located within said magnetic flux. The passage conducts a material flow comprising components magnetically separable by said magnetic flux.

The present invention is intended to increase the critical current density of a wire rod having a shape with good symmetry such as a round wire or a square wire by making use of mechanical milling method. The production method of the present invention for the MgB.sub.2 superconducting wire rod comprises a mixing process of preparing a powder by adding a solid organic compound to a magnesium powder and a boron powder and then applying an impact to the powder to prepare a mixture of the powder in which boron particles are dispersed inside magnesium particles, a filling process of filling a metal tube with the mixture, an elongation process of elongating the metal tube filled with the mixture and a heat treatment process of heat-treating the metal tube to synthesize MgB.sub.2.

A superconducting coil device includes a vacuum vessel, a superconducting coil located inside the vacuum vessel, a heat shield surrounding the superconducting coil within the vacuum vessel, and an electric current introduction line for introducing an electric current into the superconducting coil. The electric current introduction line includes an outer current lead part located outside of the heat shield, within the vacuum vessel, and thermally coupled to the heat shield, and an inner current lead part located inside of the heat shield and connecting the outer current lead part to the superconducting coil. The outer current lead part includes a main body serving as an electric current path to the superconducting coil, an insulation layer that covers the main body, and a heat shield layer that covers the insulation layer and has a lower emissivity than the insulation layer.

A superconducting electronic circuit includes at least two SQUID elements, an array of at least three Josephson Junctions, and a magnetic source element. Each SQUID element has no shared Josephson Junctions or at least one shared Josephson Junction with another SQUID element and at least one exclusive Josephson Junction. The array of at least three Josephson Junctions are connected in one, two, or three-dimensions. The magnetic source element has an electrically-tunable spatially non-uniform magnetic field.

A superconducting electronic circuit includes at least two SQUID elements, an array of at least three Josephson Junctions, and a magnetic source element. Each SQUID element has no shared Josephson Junctions or at least one shared Josephson Junction with another SQUID element and at least one exclusive Josephson Junction. The array of at least three Josephson Junctions are connected in one, two, or three-dimensions. The magnetic source element has an electrically-tunable spatially non-uniform magnetic field.

A high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnetic levitation (maglev) Dewar capable of increasing damping and levitation force and a width calculation method thereof. The HTS maglev Dewar includes an outer container and an inner container. The outer container is fixedly connected to the inner container through a connecting column. The inner container has a cavity configured to accommodate liquid nitrogen. A bottom of the inner container is provided with a bulk superconductor. The inner container is communicated with outside through a liquid nitrogen feeding pipe. The outer container is made of an electrically conductive material.