LS Cable & System leads superconducting cable revolution

LS Cable & System will launch a verification experiment of direct current superconducting cable, the company announced on Wednesday. Superconductivity is a phenomenon of zero electrical resistance below a critical temperature, which means that electricity losses are reduced. The cable manufacturer completed late last month installing superconducting cable at an 80kV direct current in Jeju Island. The experiment will last for six months.

The size of superconducting cable is 20 percent of existing copper cable but power transmission volume is five times for alternating current and 10 times for direct current. It works by wrapping copper wire with superconducting materials at 196 degrees below zero and then spilling liquid nitrogen that is chilled with a cooler.

LS Cable & System started developing superconducting cable in 2001 and developed the world`s fourth alternating current product in 2004, and succeeded last year the world`s first direct current product.