Patent Issued for Air Force Propulsion Technology Published March 3, 2010 By Thomas Brown Propulsion WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Air Force Research Laboratory's Dr. Paul N. Barnes and coworker Dr. George Levin (UES, Inc.) recently earned a patent entitled "Machinery windings of yttrium barium copper oxide and related coated conductor." The recently issued patent is based on the pair's work in using a superconducting, tapelike electrical conductor in special winding configurations for magnets and electrical machines. The patented windings leverage the new yttrium barium copper oxide superconductor in a manner that can assist in avoiding situations where magnetic-flux-related losses are potentially excessive and preclude successful machine operation. The patent references the winding orientation and configuration of the conductor in an alternating current machine, such as a power generator, for realizing lower losses; it also discloses the methods for achieving the desired windings. It is important to note that this invention also enables windings intended for differing locations within a single machine of this type.