My main areas of research are Cold Electronics, cryo-instrumentation, cryogenic process control, superconductor cables, Superconducting Magnet Energy Storage (SMES) system, High Temperature Superconductor based extremity – MRI, superconducting motors and Superconducting Fault Current Limiters (SFCL). Currently, I am in-charge of Cold Electronics and Control Laboratory (CEC-Lab) at Cryogenic Engineering Centre. The research details of the lab are as follows:
Cold Electronics, cryo-instrumentation:
Research and development of electronic circuits and sensors operational at low temperatures (from 300 K down to 4.2 K) is an on-going laboratory activity and are used for closed loop control of cryogenic processes. Recently, a cost-effective cold electronics based multiplexing electronic boards were developed to interface 128 temperature HTS superconducting devices.
Calibration facility to calibrate cryogenic flow metes using sub-cooled liquid nitrogen is developed. In addition, temperature sensor calibration from room temperature to below 20K is developed and is being currently used for calibrating ISRO’s temperature sensors.
Cryogenic Process Control:
The facilities to conduct research in the field of cryogenic process control are being established which involves automatic control of cryogenic control valves, cryogenic turbine flow meters, vacuum assisted sub-cooling unit, vacuum insulated transfer lines, cryogenic dewars, Turbomolecular based high vacuum system and NI-DAQ systems are the major devices currently available to realize hardware loop in configuration for cryogenic process control applications.
HTS Superconductor for Power Applications:
The High Temperature Superconductor Power Applications laboratory is currently developing India’s first superconducting power cable to operate at 1kV, 1kA for the research project sponsored by CPRI, Bengaluru. This extensive research work involves the integration of cryogenic process control, cryo-instrumentation, vacuum technology and superconducting technology to realize any superconducting power application device.
In addition, Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storages systems are also under development for the project sponsored by BRNS. The lab is also working on indigenous development of superconducting magnets for extremity MRI.
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Calibration of a Cryogenic Turbine based Volumetric Flow Meter (CTVFM) using sub-cooled Liquid Nitrogen and solution for its practical issues De Souza I., Sarkar A. , Anand A. , Sarkar M. , Kumar J. S., Gour A. S., Rao V. V. By IEEE Sensors 21 12077-12083 (2021)
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HTS based 400 mm level sensor for liquid Nitrogen Gour A. S., Sagar P. , H S. , Karunanithi R. , Jacob S. By Indian Journal of Cryogenics 43 143-147 (2018)
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Multilayer planar inductor array based angular position sensor for cryogenic application Sagar P., Hassan H. K., Gour A. S. By Cryogenics 96 18-24 (2018)
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Cold Electronics based 128 Temperature Sensor Interface with 14 leads for testing of High Tc Superconducting Cable Gour A. S., Thadela S. , Rao V. V. By Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics Journal(PSAC) 20 15-18 (2018)
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Design, development and testing of twin pulse tube cryocooler Gour A. S., Sagar P. , Karunanithi R. , Jacob S. By Cryogenics 86 87-96 (2017)
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Investigation of cryogenic level sensors for LN2 and LOX Gour A. S., Sagar P. , Karunanithi R. By Cryogenics 84 76-80 (2017)
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PATENT PUBLISHED: Multilayer planar Inductor based proximity sensor and associated electronics operating down to liquid Helium temperature Sagar P., Gour A. S., Karunanithi R. By - (2019)
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Comparison of C-Type Flexures with Different Bending Radii Gour A. S., Karunanithi R. By Indian Journal of Cryogenics 159-163 (2014)
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Simulation and testing of stacked HTS 2G tapes for superconducting cable Anand A., Nayek S. , Gour A. S., Rao V. V. By Power Research 14 132-137 (2018)
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Design of electrical terminals for high temperature superconducting (HTS) power cable Nayek S., Anand A. , Gour A. S., Rao V. V. By Power Research 14 138-142 (2018)
Principal Investigator
- Feasibility Study on HTS based Magnet at 65K for Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage Device Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)
- Integrated research on robust HTS coil development for magnet applications utilizing 2nd generation high temperature superconducting tape Department of Science and Technology (DST)
Co-Principal Investigator
- Development of Pulsating Solid Sorption Cooler Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)
Ph. D. Students
Ankit Anand
Area of Research: Thermal Stability and Quench Protection of Superconducting Magnets
Desouza Isaac Ivo
Area of Research: Design and development of high temperature superconducting cables
Divya Kumar Sharma
Area of Research: Design of superconductor based synchronous motor
Senthil Kumar J
Area of Research: Optimal Location of Superconducting Fault Current Limiter (SFCL) in Power System: The thesis will deal with the limitation of fault currents using superconducting fault current limiters for different types of faults. These devices are required to be situated optimally in the power system for safe guarding switchgears during fault by limiting the fault current. The selection criteria of SFCL based on fault current level will be investigated.
Sumit Kumar Chand
Area of Research: Electro-thermal characterization of Superconductor Devices
