Forceful uniform current distribution among all the tapes of a coaxial cable to enhance the operational current

A coaxial cable made out of helically wound 2G HTS tapes is being widely implemented based on its low critical bending radius, ease of manufacturing and installation. Though the design technique is mature, the cable still lacks standard Ic definition. With increased usage of such cables, robustness in its operation is expected. HTS tapes are highly sensitive to externally applied mechanical stress and strain values. These limitations force the coaxial cables to be operated at 50-75% of its rated capacity. One of the major problems in coaxial cable design is the contact resistance of the tapes with the terminal, which affects the current distribution among different tapes in the same layer. Further current redistribution at constant intervals helps the applied current in bypassing the localized faults in the individual HTS tapes, thus making efficient use of the major length of the tape. This paper proposes the use of voltage shunts between HTS layers at constant intervals for regular current redistributions along the length of the cable. This method significantly helps to sustain the Ic value of the cable, even if it has got several minor defects in the tapes.