Design options and trade-offs in superconducting magnetic energy storage with irreversible switching

Conference · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1973

OSTI ID:4397086

Laquer, H L; Lindsay, J D.G.; Little, E M; Rogers, J D; Weldon, D M

From symposium on technology of controlled thermonuclear fusion experiments and the engineering aspects of fusion reactors; Austin, Texas, USA (20 Nov 1973). A program is presently under way at Los Alamos to determine how superconducting magnetic energy storage in conjunction with normal-going superconducting switches can be made to deliver the energies of the order of 200 MJ that will be needed for plasma compression in a pulsed THETA -pinch scientific feasibility experiment. After a review of the circuit configurations, the properties of commercially available and of some developmental superconductors relevant to both the energy storage coil and to the switch are discussed. Critical current densities at low fields and stability requirements both with respect to rapidity changing external fields and to self fields are of particular importance in determining optimum operating fields and temperatures. The trade-off between eddy current losses in the stabilizing material and the need for coil protection if a coil normalcy should occur is described. Problems in potting or other forms of mechanical stabilization for both superconducting elements are pointed out. The experimental phenomenon of an only partially normalized superconducting switch is described as are the conditions for attaining fully normal resistance. A number of cryogenic engineering problems are discussed briefly, including the requirements for plastic, non-conducting dewars and for a staged refrigerator to re-cool the switch in the most economical manner. Results of 20-kJ energy-transfer experiments into both resistive and inductive loads are given and the design parameters are reported for a 300-kJ experiment now under construction. (auth)

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., N.Mex. (USA)
• NSA Number: NSA-29-004300
• OSTI ID: 4397086
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-73-910; CONF-721111-1
• Resource Relation: Conference: International meeting on the technology of controlled thermonuclear fusion experiments and the engineering aspects of fusion reactors, Austin, Texas, USA, 20 Nov 1972; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-74
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

N70800* -Physics-Controlled Thermonuclear Research- Thermonuclear Engineering & Equipment
*ENERGY STORAGE- SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNETS
*SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNETS- ENERGY STORAGE
*SWITCHES- ENERGY TRANSFER
*THETA PINCH- ENERGY TRANSFER
CRYOGENICS
DESIGN
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
PLANNING
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTIONS