Welding process selection for fabrication of a superconducting magnet structure

Journal Article · Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1985 · Weld. J. (Miami); (United States)

OSTI ID:6365800

Goodwin, G M

The magnets that will provide containment of the intensely hot plasma in fusion reactors must be wound with superconductors to enable these reactors to produce more energy than they consume (Ref. 1). With current superconductor technology, this requires the use of liquid helium at its boiling point (about 4 K, or -269/sup 0/C) as a coolant. At this temperature, all other known materials are solid. Austenitic stainless steels are the most widely used alloys for structural applications below 77 K (-196/sup 0/C) (Ref. 2). Their physical properties offer advantages over those of competing materials; the elastic modulus is high, and the thermal expansion, magnetic permeability, and electrical and thermal conductivities are low. Their mechanical properties, including strength, ductility and fracture toughness, are generally adequate to withstand the large forces imposed on magnet structures reliably. A possible exception to this statement arises in the case of weldments; the limited 4 K (-269/sup 0/C) fracture toughness data for austenitic stainless steel weld metal show a wide range of values, with no obvious explanation for the large differences. This report summarizes the data available in the literature, contributes new data for three different welding processes - gas tungsten arc (GTAW), shielded metal arc (SMAW) and flux cored arc (FCAW) - and offers some observations of the fracture morphology.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN
• OSTI ID: 6365800
• Journal Information: Weld. J. (Miami); (United States), Vol. 64:8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AUSTENITIC STEELS
GAS TUNGSTEN-ARC WELDING
SHIELDED METAL-ARC WELDING
STAINLESS STEELS
SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNETS
FRACTURE MECHANICS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
WELDED JOINTS
ALLOYS
ARC WELDING
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROMAGNETS
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
JOINING
JOINTS
MAGNETS
MECHANICS
STEELS
SUPERCONDUCTING DEVICES
WELDING
700202* - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Magnet Coils & Fields
360101 - Metals & Alloys- Preparation & Fabrication
360103 - Metals & Alloys- Mechanical Properties
360104 - Metals & Alloys- Physical Properties
420201 - Engineering- Cryogenic Equipment & Devices