A superconducting magnet feeder system that avoids the risk of Paschen discharge

11th European Conference on Applied Superconductivity

Taylor, T.^1

AT Scientific LLC, Bernex

1233, Switzerland^1

关键词: Conceptual study;    Feeder system;    Fusion devices;    Fusion magnets;    Hermetic sealing;    Insulating vacuum;    Pressurized helium;    Superconducting busbar;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/507/3/032049/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1742-6596/507/3/032049

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

Current is traditionally fed to magnets in fusion devices via a system of superconducting busbars in a thermally insulating vacuum enclosure. Some of the magnets are pulsed, taking the busbars to a potential of several kilovolts, so these must be well insulated electrically. There is a risk of helium leaking into the insulation vacuum, so the electrical insulation of the busbars must be permanently hermetic in order to avoid the risk of Paschen discharge, subsequent arcing and concomitant heavy damage. Such so-called Paschen-tight insulation is difficult to achieve, especially considering that the system is pulsed and the required lifetime may be of the order of 20 years. This report describes a conceptual study of such a feeder system that avoids the risk of Paschen discharge by routing the superconducting busbars via a pressurized helium environment, thus eliminating the necessity of thorough hermetic sealing of the insulating envelope. In the concept that is presented several other features address design issues that have occurred in recent feeder systems for fusion magnets.