Coil Simulator for AC Conductors

This STTR Project addresses stability issues in Second Generation High Temperature Super- conductor (2G HTS) wire. It explores novel ways to address and characterize 2G HTS stability, in particular when used under ac conditions. In the Phase I novel components for increased stability were explored. Stability of various conductors was tested. A so-called "Coil Simulator” was designed. In the Phase II a number of 2G conductors will be manufactured which are stabilized in a variety of ways. The conductors will be tested in short lengths and in coil form. Quench protection will be addressed. The Coil Simulator will be built. It will test a conductor in short lengths as if positioned in a coil, under a wide range of conditions. The test conditions can be varied widely. They include a combination of DC and AC magnetic fields, sample AC currents with frequencies up to 400Hz, and temperatures ranging from 27 K to 77 K. The coil simulator will test a number of wire architectures as produced under this Phase II. The stability results from this Coil Simulator will be compared to stability measurements in a number of small coils using the same 2G conductors. The work will greatly facilitate future 2G conductor design.