P2_9 Superconducting vs. Overhead Lines

  High temperature (below liquid nitrogen boiling temps.) superconductors have potential applications in power transmission lines as they can carry currents with effectively no resistance. This report gives a first order estimate of losses in presently used overhead cables at around 15% of power output. To better this efficiency a superconductor would need to be clad in an insulator with an outer diameter of greater than 1.93 times that of its inner diameter, provided a liquid nitrogen refrigeration pump could work at 10% efficiency