超伝導体は電気抵抗ゼロの究極の電気伝導材料であり、次代の省エネ・低炭素社会を構築すべく、その応用が期待されています。 しかしながら、超伝導線材では、電流・外部磁界の変動に伴って量子化磁束が出入りし、わずかながら交流損失を発生します。 この評価、低減が超伝導機器実現のキーテクノロジーです。本センターでは、独自の交流損失の定量的評価・低減技術を基に、 酸化物高温超伝導線材を用いたモータ、限流機能付き変圧器、風力用発電機、MRI・癌治療用加速器等医療用直流マグネットの 研究開発を国研、企業と共同で行っています。さらに、超伝導機器に不可欠な冷却システムについても、 Neガスを用いた冷凍機等の開発を行っています。

　Superconductors are ultimate electrical materials with zero-resistance and we expect that their application could bring about energy-saving and low-carbon society. However, according to the variation of transport current and/or applied magnetic field, fluxoids penetrate into and exude from superconductors and then ac loss is induced. The evaluation and the reduction of ac loss are the key issue for practical use of superconducting technologies. On the basis of the original techniques for the evaluation and the reduction of ac loss, we are developing superconducting motors, transformers with a current limiting function, wind power generators and DC superconducting magnets for medical instruments, e.g., MRI and accelerators for cancer-therapy, in collaboration with national laboratories and private enterprises. Further we are developing cooling systems with a Brayton-cycle cryocooler with neon gas as a working fluid.