Effective electrical and thermal conductivity of multifilament twisted superconductors

The effective electrical and thermal conductivity of composite wire with twisted superconducting filaments embedded into normal metal matrix is calculated using the extension of Bruggeman method. The resistive conductivity of superconducting filaments is described in terms of symmetric tensor, whereas the conductivity of a matrix is assumed to be isotropic and homogeneous. The dependence of the resistive electrical conductivity of superconducting filaments on temperature, magnetic field, and current density is implied to be parametric. The resulting effective conductivity tensor proved to be non-diagonal and symmetric. The non-diagonal transverse–longitudinal components of effective electrical conductivity tensor are responsible for the redistribution of current between filaments. In the limits of high and low electrical conductivity of filaments the transverse effective conductivity tends to that of obtained previously by Carr. The effective thermal conductivity of composite wires is non-diagonal and radius-dependent even for the isotropic and homogeneous thermal conductivities of matrix and filaments.

► Effective conductivity of composite superconductors was obtained by Bruggeman method. ► Resulting effective conductivity tensor proved to be non-diagonal and symmetric. ► Non-diagonal terms are responsible for redistribution of current between filaments. ► Dependence of filament conductivity on physical characteristics is parametric. ► Results generalize that of obtained previously by Carr.