EoW July 2009

37 / 95

EuroWire – July 2009 35
technology news
American Superconductor Corporation has announced the
expansion of its strategic alliance with Shanghai Electric Cable
Research Institute (SECRI) and has received a new order for its
high temperature superconductor (HTS) wire. SECRI will use the
wire to develop and manufacture a 30-metre-long, 35 kilovolt
(kV) cable system. SECRI is the leading research, development and
standardisation institution for China’s wire and cable industry and
is one of two centres that test and certify power cables for China.
“In addition to the transmission voltage superconductor cables we
have been developing, we now are developing distribution voltage
superconductor cable systems for the Chinese market,” said SECRI’s
General Manager Wei Dong, “We are confident that our continued
successful cooperation with AMSC will enable rapid adoption of
superconductor cable systems. We expect the first superconductor
cable deployment in China’s power grid system to occur early in
the next decade and that this will lead to widespread adoption of
superconductor cables throughout China.”
Power cables made with AMSC’s HTS wire inside can conduct up
to 10 times the amount of power of conventional cables, which are
made with copper wire inside. They can be placed strategically in
the power grid to draw flow from overtaxed conventional cables or
overhead lines to mitigate grid congestion experienced in urban
centres. They also can automatically suppress dangerous power
surges to create resilient, ‘self-healing’ grids that can survive attacks
and natural disasters making them an ideal modernisation tool for
metropolitan power grids.
American Superconductor Corporation – USA
Website:
Strengthened alliance with SECRI Non-ferrous wire drawing
Euroalpha srl is specialised in wire drawing equipment for
non-ferrous materials, copper, aluminium and aluminium
alloys. Over fifteen years ago, Euroalpha introduced the use
of the individual motors on rod breakdown lines, to provide
a machine with control slip and adjustable wire elongation
for each draft.
Today, the company introduces a new multi-wire line
for the automotive market; an innovative machine with
a transmission system that eliminates gears and an
independent AC motor to move each capstan.
The benefits of the new system are said to include:
• The elimination of friction and noise caused by the gear
transmission system
• More ergonomic machine construction for maintenance
and energy saving, and plant flexibility
• Minimised slip operation, no noise protection cabinet
necessary
• Adjustable wire elongation for each draft (depending on
the die schedule and installed power)
• Fast outlet diameter change
• Excellent wire surface quality at high production
efficiency
• Slippage values close to zero prevent high wearing of
pulling capstans and excessive production of metal dust
• Exclusion of intermediate motors in capstan andminimal
slippage reduces energy consumption compared to a
traditional machine with gearbox motorisation
• Wide range of wire size production
Euroalpha srl – Italy
Fax: +39 0424 72780
Email:
Website:
▲ ▲ An example of Euroalpha wire drawing machinery
. . . the most important source of
information in the wire and cable
industry . . .