Fast quench of superconducting wire by pulsed current and its application to pulsed power generation

Abstract

An inductive energy storage pulsed power generator needs an opening switch to immediately limit the circuit current and to achieve a high inductive voltage. Quench phenomena of a superconducting wire can be applicable to the opening switch because it provides a fast resistance increase of the wire. In this study, quench characteristics of a superconducting wire were investigated using pulsed current waveforms with various peak values. It has been found that quench of the wire occurred when the current exceeded a critical value. The resistance rise rate of the wire increases with the current: peak and wire length. An inductive pulsed power generator, which used a solenoid coil of the superconducting wire as an opening switch, was constructed to demonstrate that the switch could principally work to generate pulsed voltage and power with a fast rising rate.