Development of superconducting conductors for Large Helical Device

The superconducting helical coils of the Large Helical Device (LHD) require superconducting conductors with large current capacities (from 20 kA to 30 kA) and high current densities (55 A/mm2 at 8 T). An NbTi superconductor/bin with pool boiling is being used because of the large electromagnetic force and the complicated helical windings. Several conductors are designed to show how the difference of the position of pure aluminum in the conductors affects the stability and the mechanical properties. Scaled-down R&D conductors with operational currents from 7 kA to 10 kA were made on an experimental basis. The superconducting characteristics, stability, and mechanical properties of these scaled-down conductors were tested. The design and the test results concerning the superconducting characteristics are describe

Stability tests of module coil (TOKI-MC) wound with an aluminum stabilized superconductor

The module coil TOKI-MC is a twisted solenoid coil wound with an aluminum stabilized superconductor developed as an R&D program for the Large Helical Device (LHD). The TOKI-MC can simulate the conductor and winding structure cooled by pool boiling helium, the twisted winding and the large electromagnetic force of the helical coils for LHD. The TOKI-MC was designed as a cryostable coil at an operating current of 20 kA, but the coil quenched around 17 kA in excitation tests. The cause of quenches was thought to be the result of wire movement. Stability tests were also carried out and the measured recovery current was less than the designed value. The degradation of recovery current was due to the excess magnetoresistivity of the copper clad aluminum stabilizer. The stability of TOKI-MC was evaluated and compared with the data of short sample test

Stability of cable-in-conduit superconductors for Large Helical Device

The stability of cable-in-conduit superconductors has been experimentally investigated as part of a poloidal field coil program for the Large Helical Device (LHD) project. A new conductor was designed and fabricated, focusing on the stability. As a result of a zero-dimensional stability analysis, it was found that the conductor had a high stability, 5×10^5 J/m^3, at the design condition of 20.8 kA and 6.5 T. Current transfer performance after partial quenching has been investigated by using a short sample of the conductor for the poloidal field coil. The effects of the current transfer among the strands on the conductor stability are discusse

Design and fabrication of module coil as an R&D program for Large Helical Device

A twisted solenoid coil (TOKI-MC) has been designed and fabricated in order to study the mechanical properties of the Large Helical Device (LHD). One of the most important R&D items of the LHD is the mechanical behavior of the helical coils under a large electromagnetic force. The TOKI-MC was wound obliquely on the 3D-machined elliptical bobbin with a maximum torsional rate of 36deg/m at the innermost conductor. The maximum field in the coil is 7.7 T with an operating current of 20 kA, an average current density of 40 A/mm^2, and a stored energy of 11 MJ. The TOKI-MC can simulate the electromagnetic force, conductor torsional rate, magnetic field, operating current, and current density of the LHD superconducting helical coils. The design and test results of the conductor and the design and fabrication of the coil are describe

Improvement in Cryogenic Stability of the Model Coil of the LHD Helical Coil by Lowering the Temperature

Helical coils of the Large Helical Device are pool-cooled superconducting magnets, in which propagation of a normal-zone has been observed several times at about 86% of the nominal current of 13.0 kA. It is planned to improve the cryogenic stability by lowering the inlet temperature. In order to estimate the effect, the cryogenic stability of a model coil of the helical coil was examined in saturated and subcooled helium. Liquid helium is supplied from the bottom of the model coil, and it is exhausted through the winding to the current-leads tank. The inlet helium is subcooled by a pre-cooler. A normal zone was initiated by a heater on the conductor at the bottom of the coil. In saturated helium of 4.4 K and 0.12 MPa, the minimum current to propagate over the next turn varies from 10.7 to 11.2 kA in the four cases that are without or with additional thermal shields, and before or after being subcooled. The difference is considered to be caused by the change of quality of saturated helium inside the winding or by the change of the wetted condition of the conductor surface. The minimum currents are higher at the lower temperatures in subcooled helium. It is raised up to 11.7 kA at 3.5 K of the temperature inside the winding. The propagation velocity at each minimum current is almost same. Namely, the propagation velocities at the same current are slower at the lower temperature in subcooled heliu