SMARAGDI

Superconducting materials feature infinite electrical conductivity below their so-called critical temperature. High-temperature superconductors (HTS) hold the potential to revolutionize areas in energy sector, transportation, and high-energy physics research, by providing loss-less energy transfer or extremely high magnetic fields. However, the technology is not yet ready for large-scale commercial applications. The goal of SMARAGDI is to establish a multi-disciplinary competence center in Finland for developing HTS technology for future applications.

“The uniqueness of the SMARAGDI ecosystem comes from bringing together experts from different fields of technology. All the participants are highly R&D oriented, which allows considering the latest research findings and emerging technologies. This collaboration enables such co-innovation potential that we will have much better possibilities to find real breakthroughs than if we were putting together only experts specialized in the same topic.” ~ Tiina Salmi, Academy Research Fellow, Principal Investigator

“We will integrate advanced condition monitoring methods into the design of superconducting magnet and the cryogenic set-up for its operation.” ~ Kari T. Koskinen, Professor

“The advantage of the interdisciplinary approach is seen also in the manufacturing domain. In my research group, we have been developing methods for analyzing the best possible manufacturing methods for different components. Superconducting magnets are a very interesting target for this analysis because their components require very strict manufacture tolerances and they are used in demanding conditions in terms of temperature and mechanical stress.” ~ Eric Coatanéa, Professor