An approach for faster high field magnet technology development

• Published in: IEEE transactions on applied superconductivity Vol. 13; no. 2; pp. 1258 - 1261
• Main Authors: Hafalia, R.R., Caspi, S., Chiesa, L., Coccoli, M., Dietderich, D.R., Gourlay, S.A., Lietzke, A.F., O'Neill, J.W., Sabbi, G., Scanlan, R.M.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.06.2003; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Assembly; Cable insulation; Cables; Coils; Costs; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electromagnets; Exact sciences and technology; Feasibility; High field magnets; Niobium; Shells; Studies; Superconducting cables; Superconducting coils; Superconducting magnets; Superconductivity; Testing; Tin; Various equipment and components; Wounds; Yokes; Performance evaluation; Cost minimization; Nb3Sn; Prestress; Thermal cycle; System design; Insulated cable; Superconducting coils; racetrack coil; Superconducting magnet; Common coil magnet; mixed-strand cable; Magnet coils; High field; Feasibility; Strand; Cost lowering
• ISSN: 1051-8223; 1558-2515
• DOI: 10.1109/TASC.2003.812632

The Superconducting Magnet Program at LBNL has developed a magnet design supporting our new Subscale Magnet Program, that facilitates rapid testing of small superconducting racetrack coils in the field range of 10-12 Tesla. Several coils have been made from a variety of Nb/sub 3/Sn/Cu cables, insulated, wound, reacted, potted and assembled into a small reusable yoke and shell loading structure. Bladder and key technology have provided a rapid and efficient means for adjusting coil pre-stress during both initial assembly, and between thermal cycles. This affords the opportunity to test moderately long rectangular cable samples under "magnet conditions" on a time scale considerably closer to that for traditional short-sample cable tests. We have built and tested four coils with the initial aim of determining the feasibility of reducing overall conductor costs with "mixed-strand" cables. Details of cost reduction improvements, coil construction, magnet structure, and assembly procedures are reported, along with the relative performance of the mixed-strand coil.