Status of the Large Coil Test Facility

The Large Coil Test Facility (LCTF) is serving as the focus for international collaboration in the development of superconducting toroidal field coils. The United States is providing the test facility and three test coils. EURATOM, Japan, and Switzerland are each providing one coil, to be tested in a six-coil compact torus. Construction of the LCTF was completed in November 1983 within the $35.75 million budget established in December 1980. Concurrently with the later stages of construction, the vacuum system, the liquid nitrogen system, and the helium refrigeration system were operated in acceptance and performance tests. Two test coils with bath-cooled windings were received and installed by October 1983. Shakedown of the integrated facility systems and limited testing of the two coils are beginning in December 1983. Preparations have been made for installation of the other four test coils, which are now nearing completion in Europe and the United States

Startup of Large Coil Test Facility

The Large Coil Test Facility (LCTF) is being used to test superconducting toroidal field coils about one-third the size of those for INTOR. Eventually, six different coils from four countries will be tested. Operations began in 1983 with acceptance testing of the helium refrigerator/liquefier system. Comprehensive shakedown of the facility and tests with the first three coils (from Japan, the United States, and Switzerland) were successfully accomplished in the summer of 1984. Currents up to 10,200 A and fields up to 6.4 T were reached. Data were obtained on performance of refrigerator, helium distribution, power supplies, controls, and data acquisition systems and on the acoustic emission, voltages, currents, and mechanical strains during charging and discharging the coils

Employment of the Large Coil Test Facility in toroidal field coil development

The international Large Coil Task (LCT), involving EURATOM, Japan, Switzerland, and the United States, is developing competing concepts of superconducting toroidal field coils. Six different coils will be tested together in the Large Coil Test Facility (LCTF). All participants are collaborating in planning and will share all test data

Blowdown heat transfer separate-effects program. Quarterly progress report, January-March 1980

Six additional bundle uncovery/recovery tests were performed in the Thermal-Hydraulic Test Facility during January, bringing the total number of these tests to eight. Data taken during the tests were found to be contaminated by numerous spurious spikes. Work to remove the spurious spikes is under way. Posttest analysis of the tests is approx.20% completed. The recovery portion of one of the tests will be analyzed by COBRA/TRAC, currently being developed by Pacific Northwest Laboratories (PNL). Work to debug the code for this application is in progress at PNL. The uncovery/recovery tests apparently caused damage to the 0-rings that form part of the loop pressure boundary. Refurbishment of the 0-ring seal system is being performed concurrently with scheduled loop modifications that include installation of ten in-bundle differential pressure instruments. Design, procurement, and fabrication of the in-bundle gamma densitometer system are continuing on schedule