Computer modelling of type II superconductors in applications

A numerical method for solving for the current and field distributions inside devices containing type II superconductors is described. The two-dimensional solution technique accommodates the effects of surrounding media including iron and can handle systems with an arbitrary number of type II superconductors and conventional materials. The technique is based on the finite element method, the method of moments and the critical state model. The impetus behind this work is the study of rotating electrical machines which contain superconducting artefacts placed alongside magnetic materials and current sources. In this paper, a reluctance machine consisting of an iron rotor flanked with two HTS pieces is chosen to demonstrate the method.