Study on the flow reduction of forced flow superconducting magnet and its stable operation condition

The forced flow superconducting coil especially made from a Cable-in-Conduit Conductor (CICC) is applied for large-scale devices such as fusion magnets and superconducting magnet energy storage (SMES) because it has high mechanical and electrical performance potential. The flow reduction phenomena caused by AC loss generation due to the pulsed operation was found based on the experimental results of three forced flow superconducting coils. And relation between the AC loss generation and flow reduction was defined from viewpoint of the engineering design and operation of the coils. Also the mechanism of flow reduction was investigated and stable operation condition under the flow reduction was clarified for forced flow superconducting coils. First, experiments of three different large-scale superconducting coils were carried out and experimental database of the flow reduction by AC loss generation was established. It was found experimentally that the flow reduction depends on the AC loss generation (W/m3) in all of coils. It means the stable operation condition is defined not only the electro magnetism of superconducting coil but also flow condition. Mechanism of the flow reduction was investigated based on the experimental database. Hydraulics was applied to supercritical helium as a coolant. Also performances of the cryogenic pump by which coolant are supplied to the coil and friction of the superconductor as cooling path is considered for hydraulic estimation. The flow reduction of the coil is clarified and predictable by the equations of continuity, momentum and energy balance. Also total mass flow rate of coolant was discussed. The estimation method in the design phase was developed for total mass flow rate which are required under the flow reduction by AC losses. The friction of the superconductor and performance of cryogenic pump should be required for precise prediction of flow reduction. These values were obtained by the experiment data of coil and cryogenic pump and not obtain in the design phase. For the estimation in design phase, evaluation equations of the flow reduction based on the helium expansion model were developed. The flow reduction by AC losses is predictable by helium expansion model even in the design phase on which the conductor friction and pump performances are not obtained. The phenomenon of flow reduction of the forced flow coil has been applied for coil quench detection and has been developed by Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI). It is named the 'fluid method' and essential technology for quench detection of large scale forced flow superconducting coil as fusion magnets and superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) coil. In the fluid method, the inlet flow reduction is caused by Joule heating on the normal zone of superconducting coil. The fluid method has no electric noise in its detection. This is an advantage for pulsed operation in comparison with other electrical quench detection systems. There are no quantitative considerations between the inlet flow reduction and Joule heating on the coil in previous studies. The flow reduction for the quench detection has been determined by the operation experience of forced flow superconducting coil. The evaluation method for the flow reduction for the quench detection was developed. The energy consumption in the coil by Joule heating was defined from the inlet flow reduction. It means the quench detection duration from the normal initiation is available. And it makes the protection of the superconducting coil more reliable. It is a new idea on the study of flow reduction and applicable not only fusion magnet but also all of forced flow superconducting coils like a SMES coil. (author)