The AC losses measurement and analysis of superconducting NbTi CICC for HT-TU superconducting Tokamak

Superconducting TF and PF coils have been measured in SULTAN test facility. Segregated copper strands are included in four NbTi CICC and this is a technical innovation. Two AC losses measurement methods, calorimetric and electromagnetic methods, have been used in the experiments, and a broad frequency range (from 0.05 Hz to 6 Hz) is covered in sample test. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate AC losses of TF and PF CICC conductor including segregated copper and to check the design of PF and TF CICC coated with different resistive barriers (Pb-30Sn-2Sb and Ni plating on NbTi strands).     

Transverse heat transfer coefficient in the dual channel ITER TF CICCs. Part III: Direct method of assessment

The data resulting from the thermal-hydraulic test of the ITER TF CICC are used to determine the flow partition and the overall effective heat transfer coefficient (h_BC) between bundle and central channel in a direct way, i.e. by analysis of the heat transfer between both flow channels, based on the mass and energy balance equations and the readings of thermometers located inside the cable. In cases without a local heat source in the considered cable segment the obtained h_BC values were consistent with those obtained in earlier studies by analysis of experimental data using indirect methods. It was also observed that the transverse heat transfer was strongly enhanced in a cable segment heated from outside. This phenomenon results from the mass transfer from the bundle region to the central channel. The experimental h_BC data obtained for the case without a heat source in the considered segment were also compared with those calculated using various heat transfer correlations.     

Modified friction factor correlation for CICC’s based on a porous media analogy

The first cool-down of the EDIPO (European DIPOle) test facility is foreseen to take place in 2011 by means of the existing 1.2 kW cryoplant at EPFL-CRPP Villigen. In this work, the thermo-hydraulic analysis of the EDIPO cool-down is performed in order both to assess the its duration and to optimize the procedure. The cool-down is driven by the helium flowing in both the outer cooling channel and in the windings connected hydraulically in parallel. We take into account limitations due to the pressure drop in the cooling circuit and the refrigerator capacity as well as heat conduction in the iron yoke. Two schemes of the hydraulic cooling circuit in the EDIPO windings are studied (coils connected in series and coils connected in parallel). The analysis is performed by means of an analytical model complemented by and numerical model. The results indicate that the cool-down to 5 K can be achieved in about 12 days.     

JackPot: A novel model to study the influence of current non-uniformity and cabling patterns in cable-in-conduit conductors

JackPot is a new model that is used to analyse how and to what extend current non-uniformity among strands in a cable-in-conduit conductor (CICC) affects its performance. The joints at the extremities of the CICCs in coils and short samples introduce a non-uniform current distribution among the strands. A detailed and quantitative study down to strand level is required to explain the involved phenomena, to understand their implications on short sample and coil tests and to provide adequate solutions for improvements. The model can be used to evaluate the influence of the joint design and to define its baseline requirements for short-sample qualification testing, and for optimum magnet performance of for example the ITER coils.JackPot is an electrical network model that simulates the interaction between the superconducting strands in the cable (following their precise trajectories), the interstrand contact resistances, the conduit, and the cable’s connection to the joints. The backbone of JackPot is its cable geometry model, from which all relevant properties are derived. All parameters are derived from well defined experimental measurements on conductor sections and joints, except the axial strain for Nb₃Sn strands, which is the only free parameter in the model.The simulations demonstrate that the current non-uniformity is the source for a number of observed phenomena. Another conclusion is that completely filling the bottom joints and upper terminations of a short sample with solder, opposed to only (partly) soldering the cable surface, improves short-sample testing significantly for qualifying the ITER type CICCs. This paper describes the model and gives a few examples of applications for its validation.     

CFD model of ITER CICC. Part VI: Heat and mass transfer between cable region and central channel

Dual-channel cable-in-conduit conductors (CICC) are used in the superconducting magnets for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). As the CICC axial/transverse size ratio is typically ∼1000, 1D axial models are customarily used for the CICC, but they require constitutive relations for the transverse fluxes. A novel approach, based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), was recently proposed by these authors to understand the complex transverse thermal-hydraulic processes in an ITER CICC from first principles. Multidimensional (2D, 3D) Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes models implemented in the commercial CFD code FLUENT were validated against compact heat exchanger and ITER-relevant experimental data, and applied to compute the friction factor and the heat transfer coefficient in fully turbulent spiral rib-roughened pipes, mimicking the central channel of an ITER CICC. That analysis is extended here to the problem of heat and mass transfer through the perforated spiral separating the central channel from the cable bundle region, by combining the previously developed central channel model with a porous medium model for the cable region. The resulting 2D model is used to analyze several key features of the transport processes occurring between the two regions including the relation between transverse mass transfer and transverse pressure drop, the influence of transverse mass transfer on axial pressure drop, and the heat transfer coefficient between central channel and annular cable bundle region.     

Lessons learned from twenty-year operation of the Large Helical Device poloidal coils made from cable-in-conduit conductors

The Large Helical Device (LHD) superconducting magnet system consists of two pairs of helical coils and three pairs of poloidal coils. The poloidal coils use cable-in-conduit (CIC) conductors, which have now been adopted in many fusion devices, with forced cooling by supercritical helium. The poloidal coils were first energized with the helical coils on March 27, 1998. Since that time, the coils have experienced 54,600 h of steady cooling, 10,600 h of excitation operation, and nineteen thermal cycles for twenty years. During this period, no superconducting-to-normal transition of the conductors has been observed. The stable operation of the poloidal coils demonstrates that a CIC conductor is suited to large-scale superconducting magnets. The AC loss has remained constant, even though a slight decrease was observed in the early phase of operation. The hydraulic characteristics have been maintained without obstruction over the entire period of steady cooling. The experience gained from twenty years of operation has also provided lessons regarding malfunctions of peripheral equipment.     

运行温度对 NbTi 管内电缆导体瞬态稳定性的影响实验研究与分析

在SULTAN测试设备上进行了含分离铜股线NbTiCICC在不同温度裕皮下的瞬态稳定性的实验研究，应用脉冲场对样品的高场区的中心段(长度是390mm)进行感应加热，发现设计的含分离铜股线CICC有很强的抗磁扰动能力，该文分析了这个现象的原因，研究了股线上的运行温度对稳定性的影响并对3个CICC导体进行稳定性差异分析，通过理论计算，对理论计算值和实验测量值进行了比较，为HT-7U纵场和极向场NbTi CICC的运行温度的选择提供实验依据。     

Critical current test results of 13 T-46 kA Nb3Al cable-in-conduit conductor

In the framework of ITER-EDA, a 13 T-46 kA Nb₃Al conductor with stainless steel jacket has been developed in order to demonstrate applicability of an Nb₃Al conductor with react-and-wind technique to ITER-TF coils. Using a 3.5 m sample consisting of a pair of conductors with 0% and 0.4% bending strain, the critical current performances of the Nb₃Al conductors were studied to verify that the conductor achieves the expected performance and the bending strain of 0.4% does not originate degradation. The critical currents were measured at background magnetic fields of 7, 9, 10 and 11 T at temperatures from 6 to 9 K. The expected critical currents were evaluated taking into account the variation of the strain in the cross-section due to the bending strain as well as self-field and non-uniform current distribution as results of an imbalance in the joint resistance and inductances. The calculation results indicate that the current distribution is almost uniform and the experimental results showed good agreement with the expected critical currents. Accordingly, we can conclude that the fabrication process of this conductor is appropriate and the react-and-wind technique using the Nb₃Al conductor is applicable to ITER-TF coils. In addition, the critical current of the Nb₃Al conductor is expected to be 108 kA at 13 T and 4.5 K, resulting in a sufficient margin against the nominal current of 46 kA. Furthermore, it was found that the decrease in the critical current by thermal strain can be made small by applying the bending strain to the conductor so as to reduce the compressive strain at higher fields, i.e. inner side of the coil, in the conductor cross-section.     

基于稳定性CICC设计模型

根据CICC运行在大电流和快变磁场中的要求,提出了基于稳定性、质量流和交流损耗机理的导体数值模拟设计思想,结合能量(稳定性)裕度、stekly参数、温度裕度和空间电流密度等计算方法,推导了CICC结构设计参数矩阵方程,构建了导体仿真设计数学模型,开展了导体模拟设计研究,并由交流损耗对CICC结构进行了校核.将仿真设计结...     

Analysis of current and voltage distribution in the first Japanese qualification sample of an ITER TF conductor

The critical currents of the Japanese ITER TF conductors made through an internal-tin and bronze process were preliminarily estimated to be about 5.7 K, which approximates the design value of 5.7 K, and about 6.1 K, respectively, at 68 kA and 11.8 T using a short conductor sample. To investigate the influence of the current distribution in the sample conductor, a simulation was performed using a lumped circuit model of a cable and static electrical field model for jackets. The simulation results show that a large, non-uniform current distribution is established due to magneto-resistance of the copper in the joint and an imbalance of contact resistance of the strands to the copper and by poor soldering between the copper shoes, results which make a precise evaluation of the critical current performance difficult. The analytical results indicate that the current sharing temperature of the internal-tin and bronze process conductors is expected to be 6.0 K and 6.7 K, respectively, when the current distribution is uniform. In addition, solder filling of the joints makes the current distribution uniform due to the normal resistance in the high field zone, and the current sharing temperature can be estimated as almost the same as when the current distribution is uniform. The other possible solution is to use a thin copper plate with a low RRR to reduce the influence of magneto-resistance and any non-uniformity in contact resistance. Conductor performance is under-estimated in this case because the non-uniform current distribution still remains. However, the reduction in the estimated current sharing temperature is expected to be a few hundred milli-Kelvins, which seems acceptable as a margin in a qualification trial.