Stability Margin of NbTi CIC Conductor for JT-60SA Equilibrium Field Coil

Abstract

The equilibrium field (EF) coil conductors are designed with the NbTi cable in conduit (CIC) conductor because the maximum magnetic field of each conductor is up to 4.8 T for the EF-L conductor and 6.2 T for the EF-H conductor. The first EF conductor was manufactured and processed into the performance verification test sample. Then the performance verification tests had been operated before beginning the mass production. The current sharing temperature (Tcs) measurement tests and the quench tests were operated as the performance verification test to evaluate the Tcs and the minimum quench energy (MQE). The results of the Tcs measurement test indicate that both the Tcs of the EF-H conductor and the EF-L conductor are almost same as the expected value estimated by the strand characteristics. Additionally, the Tcs results satisfied the requirements of the EF coils, therefore the conductor design and the fabrication process are going well. The results of the quench test indicate that the EF conductors have enough stability marginuch as more than several hundred mJ/cc at the temperature margin of more than 0.5 K and the current of 20 kA. In addition, the supercritical helium (SHe) mass flow seldom influenced on the MQE. Thus the EF coil can be operated in stable condition even if the SHe mass flow will be decreased.