Superconducting wire and cable
Luvata is the leading superconducting wire and cable manufacturer who makes superconductors to customers’ exact specifications. Our superconductors are relied upon globally for challenging applications in science, energy, and healthcare.
Luvata has been producing niobium-titanium (NbTi)-based
superconducting wires and niobium-tin (Nb3Sn) composite wire for decades. We are the world's leading producer of special copper and low-temperature superconducting (LTS) wire and cable for many applications with positive impact on society. Our niobium-tin (Nb3Sn) wires are made via our unique internal-tin (IT) process and specifically designed for a variety of high field applications including healthcare, fusion and high energy physics.
Superconducting wire and cable for critical applications
Our superconducting wires and cables are generally designed with specific application in mind and their features vary widely among the different products offerings. Our products range from wires with single superconducting filament to tens of thousands of ultra fine filaments.
The more we discover about superconductors, the more they will touch our lives. And Luvata expects to remain at the forefront of future expansions into the burgeoning fields of MRI and NMR imaging, high energy physics, fusion energy development, levitating trains, power transmission, energy storage, silicon crystal growers for semiconductor chips and for photovoltaics, proton beam therapy for cancer treatment and much more.
Superconductor types
- Enameled monolithic wires in round and rectangular configurations
- Wire-in-channel or cable-in-channel integrated conductors
- Nb-Sn conductors by 'internal-tin' and 'bronze' methods
- Insulated cables composed of superconductive and copper wires.
Our engineering team can work with you to modify existing configurations to suit your particular application or to come up with an entirely new conductor product. With our new hot extrusion press, we are able to produce even better quality superconductive wires and cables.
Superconducting wire and cable applications
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scanners
- Particle accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
- Synchrotrons to generate proton beams for cancer therapy
- Fusion energy development magnets
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometers
- Scientific projects
- Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES)
- Silicon crystal growth magnets
- Lab and specialty magnets
Superconductors in healthcare
Our superconductors are used in healthcare e.g., in MRI scanners, NMR spectrometers and cancer treatment equipment across the globe. We are motivated by the increasing demand for cutting-edge technologies in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and proton beam therapy, both of which are continually advancing. Additionally, we recognize the expanding market for crystal pullers used in the production of monocrystalline silicon. Our superconductor wire design team collaborates closely with clients to enhance the performance of existing systems while also anticipating future requirements. We review new system requirements, provide tailored recommendations, and create cost-effective proposals that surpass key performance metrics. By involving ourselves early in the design process, we enable customers to develop new systems efficiently and promptly.
Superconductors in scientific projects
In addition to our expertise in mass production, we have a wealth of experience in one-off design. We have been involved in several high energy physics projects, fusion energy development and other applications where quality, delivery and performance are critical. In many of the high-profile scientific projects we have often broke new ground with highly innovative solutions to the unique challenges.
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MRI Wires
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Luvata MRI wires are designed for use in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which is playing an ever increasing role in diagnostic medicine. The intense magnetic fields that are needed for these instruments are a perfect application of superconductors and hollow copper conductors.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) provides an unparalleled view inside the human body, revealing a level of detail far superior to any other imaging modality. This is especially true with the latest higher-filed (>3.0T) MRI systems which are becoming commonplace in major hospitals around the world. In an effort to make MRI more affordable, and as a result make this revolutionary medical diagnostics technology accessible to more people, we have been working with leading magnet suppliers to develop optimal superconducting wire and the highest performance hollow conductors for MRI applications.
NMR Wires
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Luvata NMR wires are used in nuclear magnetic resonance applications. These are best known to the general public as Magnetic Resonance Imaging for medical diagnosis, but NMR spectrometers are also used in chemical research, biochemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, polymer and material science, petroleum research and agricultural chemistry.
SMES Wires
Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage
In Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) systems, energy is stored within a magnetic field that is capable of releasing megawatts of power within a fraction of a cycle to replace a sudden loss in line power. The magnetic field is created by the flow of direct current in a superconducting coil.
Energy storage devices improve system responsiveness, reliability, and flexibility, while reducing capital and operating costs. SMES is most commonly used to improve power quality.
Project Wires
Scientific Projects
We have supplied NbTi superconducting wires and cables as well as copper hollow conductors to a number of prestigious High Energy Physics projects. These include projects such as HERA at DESY Hamburg; the Tevatron accelerator, located in Fermilab, Chicago, Illinois; W7-X Wendelstein, the LHC (Large Hadron Collider), CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) and ATLAS experimental detectors, both located at CERN of Geneva.
Our highly specialised conductors are in use in fusion energy experiments, for example, the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR). We have produced technically challenging prototype wires for the upcoming International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).
Silicon Crystal Growers
Superconducting magnets make it possible to grow large crystals for the Si wafer business economically. Superconductors do not only make the crystal growth systems more compact, but they also consume less energy. Consequently, the Si crystal industry has been able to increase diameters from 200 mm to 300 mm - more than doubling the surface area of Si wafers. We supply superconductors for this specialist application as well.
CERN
Luvata superconductor strands are used at the heart of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN in Switzerland, the world’s largest high-energy particle accelerator, where scientists are recreating the conditions that occurred immediately after the Big Bang. The superconducting magnets operate close to absolute zero temperature at 4.2K or below. We supplied 2,280 kilometers of cable, with 36 strands per cable and 6,400 filaments per strand. That’s over 525 million kilometers of superconducting filament, the equivalent to 684 return journeys to the moon. We were also the sole supplier manufacturing the advanced superconducting NbTi wire needed for the second big experiment at the LHC; the CMS detector. We are proud of our contributions to this project, which aims to unlock some of the most powerful secrets of the cosmos’ origins.
ITER
The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, based in Cadarache France, is a partnership between the People’s Republic of China, the European Union, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the USA, and will play a significant role in the production of energy in the future. Using a plasma device designed by ITER scientists, the project aims to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion power. The device utilizes extremely powerful superconducting magnets to enable the fusion process, which releases vast amounts of heat that can be harnessed to generate carbon-free electricity. Luvata has delivered on-time and to an exact specification, the superconductive material for the US Department of Energy for the TF-magnet coils. We supplied 86% of the US commitment for superconductive wire and copper wire needed to complete this massive and scientifically significant project. In addition, Luvata was the sole supplier of 62 tons of chrome-plated copper wire for Europe’s share to make the same TF-magnet coils.
CEA SACLAY
Luvata has supplied superconductor cable to CEA Saclay in France for the world’s strongest MRI machine which, at 11.75 Tesla is four to ten times more powerful than most clinical MRI machines. As the sole superconducting wire supplier to the project, we delivered two types of superconductor including 158 kilometers of cable-in-channel for the main coils and 60 kilometers of wire-in-channel for the shield coils. The incredibly powerful 11.75 Tesla whole-body MRI system is designed to scan body tissue structures with a clarity that has never before been possible. It will reveal details that are invisible in lower magnetic fields and will provide earlier detection and treatment for many diseases as well as new insights into brain activity that could pinpoint the causes of Alzheimer’s.
Relevant industries for Superconducting wire and cable
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Did you know?
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CERN - the largest particle accelerator everThere are 525 million kilometers of Luvata's superconducting filament in CERN's LHC project. They needed 2,280 km of cable, with 36 strands per cable and 6,400 filaments per strand - all supplied to the most exacting specifications - that's a total of 684 return journeys to the Moon. Learn more