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Posted on 03/09/2023 7:52:17 AM PST by zeestephen
Scientists at the University of Rochester reported this week that they have taken a big leap toward creating a commercially viable superconductor that operates at room temperature and a low enough level of high pressure to be used in almost any technology that uses electric energy.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
"Ranga Dias' team says it created a material — called "reddmatter" because it turns red under pressure and in homage to the 2009 film Star Trek — that can act as a superconductor at up to 69 degrees Fahrenheit and 145,000 pounds per square inch (psi). That's about 10,000 times more pressure that the 15 psi at sea level, but engineers already make commercially accessible products, like microchips and synthetic diamonds, using more than 145,000 psi."
Right...just like the curly lightbulb...
So, a conductor with essentially zero resistance will “revolutionize energy”?
How is that? Will it multiply the output of solar panels by 1000? No. Will it make batteries last 100 years, store and release power with 100% efficiency even in cold temps? No. Will it make EVs run 500 miles on a 5 minute charge? No. Will it supply power when the grid is down? No.
Then what the hell good is it?
In the article “ A room-temperature superconductor could also allow longer-lasting batteries, lossless power grids, and potentially, practical nuclear fusion reactors, he added. “
ping
Where is the:
“All the big problems have been solved. Now it’s just a matter of getting it into production.”
That is the difference between science and engineering. Scientists only have to do it once. Engineers have to make it work.
Replace long distance power lines with superconductors and that’s about a 20% increase in capacity due to elimination of transmission losses alone. Replace motor coils with superconductors and you would eliminate a lot more electricity use.
but even if the thing does work the PSI needed is not convenient.
Here’s more:
Just 30 years away, like fusion, and the last superconductor promise.
“Then what the hell good is it?”
Well, for one thing, it might allow the phenomenon of magnetic levitation to become ubiquitous.
Yeah, that’s what I was wondering as well. Just because we can manufacture stuff at 145,000 psi doesn’t mean it would be practical if we had to maintain that pressure to induce superconductivity.
“No where near ready for primetime”
I agree. I posted because it peaked my interest so I looked for additional information on it.
Well, if you can eliminate resistance, you can have circuits that don't generate waste heat. That would allow you to create conventional computer chips that don't get hot so you can make them operate at much higher frequencies and therefore much, much faster.
Superconductors are also the basis for quantum computing.
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