Feasibility of large-current capacity YBCO conductors with on-demand transposition

Abstract

Abstract We propose a new idea for fabricating a large-current capacity YBCO conductor having a Roebel-type transposition formed by joining tapes. If the joule heating generated by joints is smaller than other heat sources, such as AC losses, this type of conductor may work as a quasi-superconductor. We note that the Roebel-type transposition can be included on demand in coil windings, not over the whole conductor length but rather locally, such as at terminals and coil edges to secure uniform current distribution among tapes. We fabricated a 1.2 m-long conductor sample based on this idea using 20 YBCO tapes. The Roebel-assembled tapes having joints with a 600-mm pitch length for meandering were imbedded in a copper jacket and soldered. The sample was tested in liquid nitrogen under the self magnetic field and the critical current was measured. The joint resistance was evaluated and compared with the expected value.