Dependence of stability of metastable superconductors on copper fraction

Technical Report · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6742434· OSTI ID:6742434

Elrod, S. A.; Lue, J. W.; Miller, J. R.; Dresner, L.

The stability of composite superconductors operating in the metastable regime depends upon such factors as matrix resistivity, cooled surface dimensions, fraction of critical current, and volume fraction of stabilizer. By assuming constant thermophysical properties, we developed analytic expressions for the energy and voltage of the minimum propagating zone (MPZ). With other factors held constant, these expressions have been used to predict composite superconductor stability as a function of copper fraction: lower copper fractions lead to higher MPZ energies. MPZ voltages have been measured for three NbTi/Cu composites having different copper fractions and different critical current densities for several magnetic fields and transport currents. Experimental MPZ voltages have been used to calculate an effective heat transfer coefficient, which is subsequently used to calculate the MPZ energy. The experimental MPZ energies support the theoretical expectation that lower copper fractions lead to higher stability in the metastable regime.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6742434
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-7517
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALLOYS
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
COPPER ALLOYS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROMAGNETS
EQUIPMENT
MAGNETS
MATERIALS
NIOBIUM ALLOYS
QUENCHING
STABILITY
SUPERCONDUCTING DEVICES
SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNETS
SUPERCONDUCTORS
TITANIUM ALLOYS