A Multifilament PIT V3Ga Conductor for FUSION Magnet Applications

The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project was initiated in 1985 and has grown to a world-wide coalition of nations including the European Union, Japan, Russia, China, the Republic of Korea, and the US. As the ITER project advances fusion technology and future commercial fusion reactors become a reality, fusion magnet requirements will necessitate the development of superconductors superior to the current Nb-based materials. This project will develop and demonstrate an effective multifilament V3Ga conductor by the powder-in-tube (PIT) process. The expected benefits over Nb-based conductors include higher, more consistent critical current density (Jc) in higher magnetic fields (15T - 20T) and increased strain resilience. In Phase I, jet milled Cu-Ga powders of varying Cu:Ga ratios will be packed into copper-clad V tubes fabricated from V foil or drilled-out V rods. The resulting tubes will be drawn and restacked into a 19-element hexagonal design, drawn into the final multifilament assembly, and heat treated at various temperatures. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee In addition to the application to fusion reactors, the proposed V3Ga conductors would benefit high energy physics (particularly in the LHC upgrade, in order to provide higher energy and luminosity) and NMR technology (providing higher magnetic field performance and increased imaging capability, ultimately benefiting health care and the public in general).