Installation of the Superconducting Bus Bar System of Wendelstein 7-X

Abstract

The superconducting bus bar system of the Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) experiment consists of 121 bus bars and 184 bus bar joints, which provide the electrical and hydraulical connections between bus bars and coils and between different bus bar sections. The bus bars are made of the same superconductor as the coils. The W7-X superconductor is made of 243 NbTi copper stabilized strands enclosed in an aluminum jacket. The bus bars were cut, bent, and partially insulated before they were delivered to the assembly area of W7-X. The assembly of the bus bars was a logistical and technical challenge because of numerous interfaces and geometrical boundary conditions. The complexity of installation required extensive quality assurance and assembly plans, where each work step had to be precisely defined. The assembly of all bus bars and bus bar joints has been finished. The installation of the current leads that connect the bus bar system to the power supplies is underway.