A thermomagnetic mechanism for self-cooling cables

Abstract

A solid state mechanism for cooling high-current cables is proposed based on the Ettingshausen effect, i.e. the transverse thermoelectric cooling generated in magnetic fields. The intense current running in the cable generates a strong magnetic field around it, that can be exploited by a small current running in a coating layer made out of a strong "thermomagnetic" material to induce a temperature difference between the cable core and the environment. Both analytical calculations and realistic numerical simulations for Bismuth coatings in typical magnetic fields are presented. The latter yield temperature drops ~60K and >100K for a single- and double-layer coating respectively. These encouraging results should stimulate the search for better thermomagnetic materials, in view of applications such as self-cooled superconducting cables working at room temperature.