Enabling Technology Project
E8 Development of Advanced Industrial Electricity Equipment for High-Efficiency Energy Equipment Systems
Outline of the area
Hiroyuki Ohsaki
Professor,
The University of Tokyo
With the increasing development of low-carbon technology in ALCA, it has become extremely important to improve the efficiency of power generation and transmission and to lower the energy loss in electric energy utilization because the proportion of electric power consumption in the final energy consumption has been increasing. Previously, in the superconductor-related technology area in ALCA, we focused on further increasing the efficiency of transportation motorization and applying the superconductor technology to it. Electric motors that convert mechanical energy into electric energy have potential applications in electric vehicles, wind power generation, and industrial motors.
In this ALCA Enabling Technology Area, on the basis of innovative technology on electric equipment and systems, we aim at drastically increasing the efficiency and lowering energy loss by introducing advanced electric and magnetic materials. Simultaneously, we aim at demonstrating that these technologies can be the key devices in the realization of a low-carbon society. Based on the ALCA research results obtained thus far such as compact superconductive motors with high efficiency, low-cost high-temperature superconductive wires, and superconducting magnetic separation, we aim at transferring the following research aspects into the practical-use phase within five years： (i) Demonstration of the magnetic separation system for a boiler feedwater scale in thermal power plants. (ii) Demonstration of the high efficiency and long-term operation of compact superconductive motors. (iii) Development of a low-cost, long-durability, and maintenance-free cryogenic cooling technology. (iv) Development of a low-cost, long superconductive wire cooled by liquid nitrogen and superconductive magnet technology for practical use.
