Study of ac loss in Bi-2223/Ag tape under the simultaneous action of ac transport current and ac magnetic field shifted in phase

Investigation of ac loss under the simultaneous action of the transport ac current and the external ac magnetic field is of prime importance for the reliable prediction of dissipation in electric power devices such as motors/generators, transformers and transmission cables. An experimental rig allowing us to perform ac loss measurements in such conditions, on short (10 cm) tape samples of high-temperature superconductor Bi-2223/Ag, was designed and tested. Both the electromagnetic and thermal methods were incorporated, allowing us to combine the better sensitivity of the former and the higher reliability of the latter. Our main aim was to see how the ac loss depends on the phase shift between the transport current and the external magnetic field. Such a shift could have different values in various applications. While in a transformer winding, the maximum phase shift at full load will probably not exceed a few degrees, in a three phase transmission cable in tri-axial configuration it is around 120°. Therefore, we explored the whole range of phase shifts from 0 to 360°. Surprisingly, the maxima of dissipation did not coincide with zero shift as expected from qualitative considerations.