Superior wires and cables for challenging applications
Luvata has been producing niobium-titanium (NbTi)-based superconducting wires and cables for nearly fifty years. We are the world's leading producer of special copper and low-temperature superconducting (LTS) wire and cable for many applications.
Our superconducting wires are generally designed with specific application in mind and their features vary widely among the different products offerings. Our products range from wires with single superconducting filament to thousands of fine filaments.
Superconductor types
- Enamelled monolithic wires in round and rectangular configurations
- Wire-in-channel or cable-in-channel integrated conductors
- Nb-Sn conductors by 'internal-tin' and 'bronze' methods
Our engineering team can work with you to modify existing configurations to suit your particular application or to come up with an entirely new conductor product. Please contact us to find out more.
Superconducting wires and cables are used in:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scanners
- Particle accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
- Synchrotrons to generate proton beams for cancer therapy
- Fusion energy development magnets
- NMR spectrometers
- Scientific projects
- Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES)
- Silicon crystal growth magnets
- Generators
- Lab and speciality magnets
Read more about the superconductor applications from the next tab.
MRI Wires
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Luvata MRI wires are designed for use in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which is playing an ever increasing role in diagnostic medicine. The intense magnetic fields that are needed for these instruments are a perfect application of superconductors and hollow copper conductors.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) provides an unparalleled view inside the human body, revealing a level of detail far superior to any other imaging modality. This is especially true with the latest higher-filed (>3.0T) MRI systems which are becoming commonplace in major hospitals around the world. In an effort to make MRI more affordable, and as a result make this revolutionary medical diagnostics technology accessible to more people, we have been working with leading magnet suppliers to develop optimal superconducting wire and the highest performance hollow conductors for MRI applications.
NMR Wires
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Luvata NMR wires are used in nuclear magnetic resonance applications. These are best known to the general public as Magnetic Resonance Imaging for medical diagnosis, but NMR spectrometers are also used in chemical research, biochemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, polymer and material science, petroleum research and agricultural chemistry.
SMES Wires
Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage
In Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) systems, energy is stored within a magnetic field that is capable of releasing megawatts of power within a fraction of a cycle to replace a sudden loss in line power. The magnetic field is created by the flow of direct current in a superconducting coil.
Energy storage devices improve system responsiveness, reliability, and flexibility, while reducing capital and operating costs. SMES is most commonly used to improve power quality.
Project Wires
Scientific Projects
We have supplied NbTi superconducting wires and cables as well as copper hollow conductors to a number of prestigious High Energy Physics projects. These include projects such as HERA at DESY Hamburg; the Tevatron accelerator, located in Fermilab, Chicago, Illinois; W7-X Wendelstein, the LHC (Large Hadron Collider), CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) and ATLAS experimental detectors, both located at CERN of Geneva.
Our highly specialised conductors are in use in fusion energy experiments, for example, the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR). We have produced technically challenging prototype wires for the upcoming International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).
Silicon Crystal Growers
Superconducting magnets make it possible to grow large crystals for the Si wafer business economically. Superconductors do not only make the crystal growth systems more compact, but they also consume less energy. Consequently, the Si crystal industry has been able to increase diameters from 200 mm to 300 mm - more than doubling the surface area of Si wafers. We supply superconductors for this specialist application as well.
