Performance measurements of superconducting current leads having low helium boiloff rates

Conference · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:10178995

Niemann, R C; Cha, Y S; Hull, J R

We have created a performance-measurement facility for current leads as a part of our Laboratory`s program to develop applications for high-temperature superconductors. The facility measures the rate of helium vapor boil-off due to current-lead heat input to liquid helium and the pressure drop across a current lead for a pair of leads operating at currents to 100 A. The facility`s major components are a liquid-helium dewar having low background heat input; a dewar insert which incorporates the current leads and associated instrumentation or connections for flow, pressure, level, temperature and voltage measurements; and a computer-driven data-acquisition system. The background beat input is small enough so that boiloff rates one-tenth that of an optimized conventional lead can be characterized. The facility has been operated with both conventional; i.e., vapor-cooled copper leads and with leads incorporating high-temperature superconductors at their cold ends. Details of the facility design, construction and operating experiences are presented.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 10178995
• Report Number(s): ANL/CP--75555; CONF-920802--4; ON: DE92040730
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320302
665412
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BOILING
DATA ACQUISITION
HELIUM
HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS
MATERIALS
PERFORMANCE
PRESSURE CONTROL
REFRIGERATION
SUPERCONDUCTING DEVICES
SUPERCONDUCTING WIRES