AcrossChina:Chineseengineersinstallcutting-edgesuperconductingpowerlineinShanghai_GuangmingOnlineAcrossChina:Chineseengineersinstallcutting-edgesuperconductingpowerlineinShanghaiSHANGHAI,Dec.23(Xinhua)--WhenalinegraphshowingtheamplifyingsuperconductingelectricityleveljumpedtoitspeakonthemonitoringscreenonanAugustdaythisyear,thecontrolhallinShanghaiburstintowarmapplause.Itmarkedthe35kVkilometer-levelsuperconductingpowertransmissiondemonstrationprojectreachingitsfull-loadoperation.The1.2-kilometercablelaidinthecityistheworld'slongestkilometer-levelsuperconductingcable,andistheonlycableofitskindgloballytobeputintooperationinanurbancore,whileitisalsotheonlycableofitstypethathasbeeninstalledentirelyinducts.Inaddition,ithasthelargesttransmissioncapacitywhenitcomesto35kV.Superconductingpowertransmissionexploitsthephenomenonofsuperconductivitytotransmitlargeamountsofelectricitywithclose-to-zerolosses,representingoneofthemostrevolutionarycutting-edgetechnologiesintoday'spowerindustry.Itsprincipleistoreducethepowertransmissionresistanceofsuperconductingmaterialstoclosetozeroinlow-temperatureliquidnitrogen.Thetransmissioncapacityofonesuperconductingcableisequivalenttofourtosixconventionalcablesatthesamevoltagelevel,thussavingabout70percentofundergroundpipespace.Thedemonstrationprojectislocatedbetweentwo220kVsubstationsinXuhuiDistrict,downtownShanghai.Thetotallinelengthis1.2kilometersandthedesigncurrentis2,200amperes.ItistheresultoftwodecadesofeffortsbyengineersatShanghaiElectricCableResearchInstitute(SECRI)underShenergyGroup,anenterprisewhichhasspecializedinelectriccableoverthepast60yearsandwhichspearheadsthesuperconductingtransmissionindustry."Ifsuperconductingcablesarewidelyused,theproblemsofhighelectricitydensityandlimitedspaceinsuper-largecitieslikeShanghaicanbesolved,"saidHuangChongqi,amemberoftheChineseAcademyofEngineeringandanexpertinsuperconductingcables.TheSECRIteamregardsthepathofindependentinnovationaskeytopioneeringinthisfrontierindustry."Ourself-designhelpedreducethecostofsuperconductingrawmaterials,oncemonopolizedbyforeigncountries,bynearlytwo-thirds,"saidHuang,aseniorSECRIengineer.Thedetectionandisolationofweakelectricsignalsinthesuperconductingcablesystemwasaworld-classtechnicalchallenge.SECRIengineersworkedindependentlytoacquirekeytestdata,whicheffectivelyenhancedtheirstandard-settingcapabilityattheworld'sfirstinternationalstandardconferenceforsuperconductingcables.AccordingtodatareleasedbytheNationalDevelopmentandReformCommissioninSeptember2022,Chinahadbuilttheworld'slargestpowersystem,withitslengthoftransmissionlinesabove35kVreaching2.26millionkilometers,equivalenttocirclingEarth56times.The1.2kmversionfoundinShanghaiisanexceptionwhencomparedwithaveragepowerlines,butagoodstartingpoint,saidHuang."Next,5km-leveland10km-levelcableswillbedeveloped.""Weusedtoimportallthehigh-voltagecables,butthenthehomegrownonesstartedcatchingup."saidZongXihua,adeputychiefengineerofSECRI."Now,wehavemadeanearlystartinsuperconductingpowertransmissiontechnologyandtakenaleadgloballythankstotwodecadesofresearchanddevelopmentefforts."Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.