STI Advances Development With SFCL Customers
AUSTIN, Texas, July 20, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Superconductor Technologies Inc. (STI) (Nasdaq:SCON), a world leader in the development and production of high temperature superconducting (HTS) materials and associated technologies, achieved positive results with multiple superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) customers following the Conductus® wire evaluation and testing completed in June and July 2015. The SFCL results demonstrated dramatic improvement compared to tests completed earlier. In addition, STI successfully completed qualification testing with the Robinson Research Institute at Victoria University of Wellington. Conductus wire is now approved for use in making Roebel cable, a winding cable, which is used in high-field magnets, transformers, utility-scale generators and large motors.
"As we rapidly approach final qualification, our customers are quickly providing detailed guidance that we believe will result in Conductus wire soon attaining all of the performance parameters required for SFCLs," stated Jeff Quiram, STI's president and chief executive officer. "We believe our SFCL customers have transitioned from a specification driven pass or fail testing methodology to a much more collaborative effort that involves business items such as forecasts, delivery lead times and price. Conductus wire is very close to passing all tests, and we are encouraged by our customers' confidence that our wire will be qualified in the next few months. In parallel, we have initiated business discussions to ensure product availability matches demand.
"In conjunction with our partner, the Robinson Research Institute, we are engaged with multiple end use customers that plan to deploy Roebel cable in superconducting devices. With the successful qualification of Conductus for use in Robinson's Roebel cable, we believe we are well positioned to continue to aggressively pursue numerous opportunities in Asia."
Test Description
SFCL customers require Conductus wire to pass extensive engineering models and electrical testing that simulate characteristics of the wire performance in the SFCL device. The electrical tests replicate the thermal cycling of the superconducting wire in high-current operation. The latest results show that Conductus wire has made significant performance improvements in this area. Customers verified STI's 550 Amp current handling performance and recognized that the mechanical properties of Conductus provide unsurpassed robustness. The goal of SFCL manufacturers is to standardize on high performance wire that will ensure they have the best in class product to protect the grid in a majority of existing substation