Overview of High Temperature Superconductor Machines

Electrical machines are important parts of different power systems. The application of high temperature superconductors (HTS) in electrical machines is very promising due to high transport currents. This paper reviews various topologies of superconducting motors and generators using HTS published in the literature in recent time. It begins with a brief presentation of the HTS material used in electrical machines. The description of AC losses and cryogenic systems is done afterwards. Then we offer a striking description of the various realizations of HTS electrical machines such as half HTS synchronous machines, fully HTS synchronous machine, machines with HTS bulks and stacks. Some of these machines are totally innovative compared to conventional ones and their operating principle is strictly related to the presence of HTS materials.