Flux Pump for HTS Magnets

• Published in: IEEE transactions on applied superconductivity Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 1628 - 1631
• Main Authors: Hoffmann, C, Pooke, D, Caplin, A D
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.06.2011; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Coils; Electric connection. Cables. Wiring; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electromagnets; Electronic equipment and fabrication. Passive components, printed wiring boards, connectics; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Flux pump; High temperature superconductors; HTS magnet; Magnetic circuits; Magnetic flux; persistent current; Power electronics, power supplies; Resistance; Superconducting magnets; Superconductivity; Superconductors; Various equipment and components; Wire; YBCO; Rotating machine; Magnet; Heat loss; Power supply; Power electronics; Superconductor device; Superconducting coils; HTS magnet; Superconducting magnet; Critical current; Flux pump; Electrical conductor; YBCO; persistent current; Magnetic field; High temperature superconductor
• ISSN: 1051-8223; 1558-2515
• DOI: 10.1109/TASC.2010.2093115

Magnets fabricated with HTS wire can not be operated in a true persistent mode as superconducting joints of sufficient technological quality have not been achieved to date. In order to maintain a constant magnetic field in a HTS magnet a power supply has to be permanently employed, which then leads to heat losses in the cryo-system through the employment of current leads. By using a flux pump these losses can be minimized. We present a new flux pump based on 2G HTS wire. This device energized at 77 K a 2.7 mH 2G HTS double-pancake coil to its critical current of 49 A within 112 seconds. The operating principle will be described and data of the current ramping is shown. Considering the simplicity of the device and the potential to increase the generated current to 200 A and more, this new flux pump is very promising for many superconducting devices including HTS and LTS magnets and rotating machines.