Superconductive switch for conduction cooled superconductive magnet
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsBizhan Dorri, Evangelos T. Laskaris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A superconductive switch for a superconductive magnet is bifilarly wound on a bobbin with niobium-tin tape and laminated with stainless steel foil for structural rigidity is provided. The switch is vacuum pressure epoxy impregnated and cooled by copper bus bars which are heat stationed to a cryocooler which is also used to conduction cool the superconductive magnet. The bus bars are also used to introduce a voltage across the switch and the magnet windings which are connected in series with one another to ramp up the current.
Claims20
A superconductive switch for use in a superconductive magnet cooled by a source of conduction cooling, comprising:
- a heat conductive bobbin;
- filler material;
- a superconductive conductor surrounded by filler material and bifilarly wound on said bobbin;
- impregnating material filling the interstices between the windings and between the windings and the bobbin;
- a pair of heat conductive and electrically conductive bus bars electrically connected to a respective end of the bifilarly wound conductor and connected in a heat transfer relationship with said bobbin, said bus bars thermally connectable to the source of conduction cooling and electrically connectable to an external power supply, said superconductive conductor electrically connectable to said superconductive magnet;
- and
- heater means for controllably heating said superconductive conductor.
A superconductive magnet comprising:
- a magnet cartridge having at least one superconductive coil;
- a vacuum vessel;
- a thermal radiation shield situated inside said vacuum vessel and enclosing said superconductive coil;
- conduction cooling means for providing cooling at a first and a second temperature, said second temperature being lower than the fist temperature, said thermal radiation shield conduction cooled by said conduction cooling means at the first temperature and said superconductive winding conduction cooled by said conduction cooling means at the second temperature;
- and
- a superconductive switch situated in said vacuum vessel, said switch comprising a heat conductive bobbin;
- filler material;
- a superconductive conductor surrounded by said filler material and bifilarly wound on said bobbin;
- impregnating material filling the interstices between the windings and between the windings and the bobbin;
- a pair of heat conductive and electrically conductive bus bars electrically connected to a respective end of the bifilarly wound conductor and connected in a heat transfer relationship with said bobbin, said bus bars thermally connected to said conduction cooling means at the second temperature and electrically connectable to an external power supply, said superconductive conductor electrically connected to said superconductive coil;
- and heater means for controllably heating said superconductive conductor in said switch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.