Minimum heat pulse to quench a superconducting magnet

The minimum energy required to quench a fully impregnated superconducting winding has been measured at a constant field of 5 T for various currents. Great care has been taken to match the experimental conditions with those presumed in the minimum propagating zone (MPZ) treatments of the situation. In particular the winding has been designed so that the MPZ is smaller than the heat source thus satisfying the requirement for a point disturbance. The adiabatic requirement has been met with an inductive heating technique in place of the usual resistive heating. As a consequence of these features the minimum quench energies are much smaller than those obtained in previous experiments and agree well with Wilson's theoretical treatment for a point disturbance.     

A 12 T 80 mm bore superconducting V3Ga NbTi magnet system

A V₃Ga-NbTi magnet system for a field of 12 T in 80 mm clear bore is described. The V₃Ga and NbTi magnets are connected in series to one power supply. The differences in the materials (NbTi multifilamentary wire and V₃Ga bronze processed stranded cable) require special measures for protection during a quench. In the V₃Ga magnet no training or degradation was observed. The short sample critical current value was reached in the V₃Ga magnet with a reversible active voltage which made it possible to reduce the current without quench.     

Fabrication experiences and performance tests of the coal-fired flow facility superconducting dipole magnet

The Argonne National Laboratory has designed, constructed and tested a large aperture superconducting MHD magnet for use in the coal-fired flow facility at Tullahoma, Tennessee. The magnet generates a peak on-axis field of 6 T in a MHD warm bore of 80 cm diameter at inlet, 100 cm diameter at outlet, and 300 cm effective length. The stored energy of the magnet is 210 MJ, the cold mass (4.2 K) is 131 metric tons and the ampere-turns, 13.7 × 10⁶. The final design of the magnet will be briefly introduced. Described in detail are the experiences of coil winding and coil assembly, the assembly of force-containment superstructure, assembly of magnet cryostat and results of magnet performance tests.     

The mechanism of frictional motion and its effects at 4.2 K in superconducting magnet winding models

Frictional sliding occurs on both a microscopic and a macroscopic scale. Sliding on a microscopic scale appears as discrete events called microslips. Microslips are inherent in all sliding events and are quite different from macroscopic instabilities such as stick-slips. It is thought that the training effect observed in quench current data from a superconducting braid may be caused by microslips.The mechanisms of sliding motion and its effects at 4.2 K were studied in detail for a number of metal/insulator pairs that model superconducting magnet windings; the results impact the performance of superconducting magnets. Organic surface coating materials are generally effective in eliminating macroscopic instabilities. Instrumentation used in these experiments includes a high-resolution extensometer and an acoustic emission sensor, both with sensitivities capable of detecting microslips (～ 1 μm).     

A flying superconducting magnet and cryostat for magnetic suspension of wind-tunnel models

The quality of aerodynamic tests on aircraft or missile models in wind tunnels is improved by magnetically suspending these models, thus avoiding the intrusion of mechanical supports. The size of the electromagnet array required for this task may be prohibitive at large scales but can be reduced by increasing the magnetic moment of the model's internal magnetic core. This article describes a new approach, in which a superconducting solenoid is carried within the model in place of the conventional ferromagnetic core. The potential advantages, the philosophy and details of the design of a prototype, and some experiences in its use are outlined.     

ac loss measurements on a superconducting transformer for a 25 kA superconducting rectifier

ac loss measurements have been performed on a superconducting transformer. The transformer is a part of a 25 kA thermally switched superconducting rectifier operating at a frequency of 0.1 Hz. The loss measurements have been automatized by means of a microcomputer sampling four relevant signals and processing these data to reliable loss numbers. Results were obtained at amplitudes of the secondary current between 5 and 15 kA at various current rates between 5 and 30 kA s^?1.     

Quench back in thin superconducting solenoid magnets

Superconducting magnets with well coupled, low resistance, secondary circuits have been observed to become fully normal faster than quench propagation in the coil would permit. This process is referred to as ‘quench back’. Quench back observed at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) was caused by heating the secondary circuit from the current induced from the primary circuit as normal region in the superconducting coil propagated. This paper develops the theory for thermal quench back in thin solenoid magnets and compares this theory with measurements made in two one-meter diameter superconducting solenoid magnets.     

Large aperture superconducting magnet (benkei)

Benkei, which was a large window frame conventional magnet at KEK has been converted to a superconducting magnet. In the conversion, the pole gap has been doubled from 0.5 m to 1.0 m retaining an analysing power at 2 T m. Several new techniques were applied to coil windings and cryostat fabrication. The superconducting Benkei has shown satisfactory performances for long term operation.     

11 T liquid helium-free superconducting magnet

An 11 T liquid helium-free superconducting magnet designed at 6 K in vacuum using high temperature superconducting current leads was developed. The coil was conductively cooled down from room temperature to 4.1 K in 40 h by two 4 K GM-cryocoolers. In a performance test, the coil temperature rose to 6.8 K for the inner Nb₃Sn coil and 5.9 K for the outer NbTi coil, while sweeping the field at 5 A min⁻¹. A central field of 10.7 T in a 52 mm room temperature bore was generated at an operating current of 149 A. Holding the field at 10.5 T was achieved continuously for 24 h at a constant coil temperature of 4.8 K.     

On the testing of large superconducting magnet systems

A new approach to the testing of large superconducting magnet system is proposed.     

Bottom-coverage simulation for magnetron-sputtering apparatus activated with superconducting bulk magnet

The bottom coverage in circular via holes for magnetron sputtering apparatus equipped with a superconducting bulk magnet was analyzed using computer simulation. Owing to the high magnetic field, the apparatus allowed film deposition under low pressure. In the simulation, the transport of sputtered atoms was treated by the Monte Carlo method and the film deposition was calculated using a string model. The simulated results qualitatively reproduced the behavior of the measured bottom coverage. However, considerable deviation was observed depending on the geometry. It was ascribed to factors such as resputtering, reflection, and surface diffusion.     

Superconducting bulk magnet for maglev vehicle: Stable levitation performance above permanent magnet guideway

High-temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev vehicle is well known as one of the most potential applications of bulk high-temperature superconductors (HTSCs) in transported levitation system. Many efforts have promoted the practice of the HTS maglev vehicle in people's life by enhancing the load capability and stability. Besides improving the material performance of bulk HTSC and optimizing permanent magnet guideway (PMG), magnetization method of bulk HTSC is also very effective for more stable levitation. Up to now, applied onboard bulk HTSCs are directly magnetized by field cooling above the PMG for the present HTS maglev test vehicles or prototypes in China, Germany, Russia, Brazil, and Japan. By the direct-field-cooling-magnetization (DFCM) over PMG, maglev performances of the bulk HTSCs are mainly depended on the PMG's magnetic field. However, introducing HTS bulk magnet into the HTS maglev system breaks this dependence, which is magnetized by other non-PMG magnetic field. The feasibility of this HTS bulk magnet for maglev vehicle is investigated in the paper. The HTS bulk magnet is field-cooling magnetized by a Field Control Electromagnets Workbench (FCEW), which produces a constant magnetic field up to 1 T. The levitation and guidance forces of the HTS bulk magnet over PMG with different trapped flux at 15 mm working height (WH) were measured and compared with that by DFCM in the same applied PMG magnetic field at optimal field-cooling height (FCH) 30 mm, WH 15 mm. It is found that HTS bulk magnet can also realize a stable levitation above PMG. The trapped flux of HTS bulk magnet is easily controllable by the charging current of FCEW, which implies the maglev performances of HTS bulk magnet above PMG will be adjustable according to the practical requirement. The more trapped flux HTS bulk magnet will lead to bigger guidance force and smaller repulsion levitation force above PMG. In the case of saturated trapped flux for experimental HTS bulk magnet, it is not effective to improve its maglev performances by increasing of charging magnetic field, when the guidance force at WH 15 mm is 5.7 times larger than that by DFCM of FCH 30 mm. So introducing HTS bulk magnet into the present maglev system is feasible and more controllable to realize stable levitation above applied PMG, which is an important alternative for the present HTS maglev vehicle.     

19.3 T with a superconducting magnet

The magnet system HOMER has been used to generate a magnetic field of 19.3 T. Nb₃Sn insert coils were used in conjunction with the NbTi background magnet.     

Fabrication of a working Bi-2223 superconducting magnet cooled by liquid nitrogen

A practical Bi-2223 superconducting magnet, working in liquid nitrogen (L.N₂), was designed and fabricated. Bi-2223 tape with a critical current of 147 A was prepared by a controlled overpressure (CT-OP) process at 77.3 K in self-field. Ten double-pancake coils were resistively connected by copper terminals. The bore diameter was 54 mm?, the magnet outer diameter was 122 mm?, the height of the magnet was 124 mm, and the weight of the magnet was about 3 kg. The maximum magnetic field at the center of the bore was 0.48 T with an operating current of 50 A. The experimental results agree well with design predictions calculated by finite element method. AC operation was also performed, and no distortion of the voltage waveform was observed. Therefore, this Bi-2223 superconducting magnet is a suitable replacement for copper magnets designed for applications in science and technology.     

Effect of the axial component of the Lorentz Force on training and degradation of superconducting coils

Experimental data which shows that the axial component of the Lorentz force can affect training and degradation of superconducting coils is presented.In the case of a rigid coil former model, the analysis has shown that possible axial motion begins at a lower current than possible radial motion.     

Finite element model of training in the superconducting quadrupole magnet SQ02

This paper describes the use of 3D finite element models to study training in superconducting magnets. The simulations are used to examine coil displacements when the electromagnetic forces are cycled, and compute the frictional energy released during conductor motion with the resulting temperature rise. A computed training curve is then presented and discussed. The results from the numerical computations are compared with test results of the Nb₃Sn racetrack quadrupole magnet SQ02.     

Design analysis of a solid nitrogen cooled “permanent” high-temperature superconducting magnet system

Potential performance advantages of a solid nitrogen cooled “permanent” high-temperature superconducting (SN2/HTS) magnet system over a liquid helium cooled low-temperature superconducting (LHe/LTS) system are explored. The SN2/HTS system design includes a second solid heat capacitor that cools a radiation shield. Recooling of the heat capacitors is performed with a demountable cryocooler. The SN2/HTS system offers both enhanced stability and improved portability over a LHe/LTS system.Design codes are constructed to compare the SN2/HTS system design with a LHe/LTS design for a general permanent superconducting magnet system employing a room temperature bore. The codes predict the system volume and mass that should be expected for a given set of design requirements, i.e. field strength and bore size, and a given set of conductor properties. The results indicate that present HTS conductor critical current and index are not yet sufficient for producing SN2/HTS systems of a size that is comparable with that expected for a LHe/LTS system; however, the conductor properties of Bi2223/Ag have been consistently improving, and new HTS conductors are expected to be developed in the near future. The codes are used to determine the minimum Bi2223/Ag conductor performance required for a SN2/HTS system to be competitive with a LHe/LTS system.     

传导冷却超导磁体系统真空问题的试验研究

成功研制了6T NbTi 传导冷却超导磁体系统,制冷机为二级GM-制冷机.磁体冷却到4 K需用74 h左右,目前磁体系统已分别完成了115 A(6T),45 h和95 A,264 h的无间断运行实验.制冷机可在长达15天(359 h)的时间里,对系统抽真空并维持系统真空在1.5×10-2 Pa左右,其间不再使用扩散泵对超导磁体系统抽真空.     

Experimental setup for precise measurement of losses in high-temperature superconducting transformer

A simple cryogenic system for testing of the superconducting power transformer was constructed. Thermal shielding is provided by additional liquid nitrogen bath instead of super-insulation. The system, together with use of a precise nitrogen liquid level meter, permitted calorimetric measurements of losses of the 8 kVA HTS transformer with a resolution of the order of 0.1 W.     

Device for orientation of crystals at low temperatures in a superconducting magnet for the production of single-domain horizontally-polarized specimens

A design is given for a device that can carry up to four single crystals mounted on individual three-way goniometers for mutual alignment of their crystallographic planes. The assembly, held at 4 K in the clear split of a superconducting magnet, may be rotated to a precise angle by simple external means. The rotation of the device permits the formation of horizontally-polarized, single-domain crystals of ferromagnetic materials when only a vertical magnetic field is available.