Demountable conduction cooled current leads for refrigerated superconducting magnets
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsMark E. Vermilyea, Bizhan Dorri
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Abstract
This invention relates to demountable conduction cooled current leads for refrigerated superconducting magnets. Such structures of this type generally either allow the warm section of the current lead to be thermally demounted from the magnet after the magnet is powered or both the cold and warm sections of the current leads to be thermally demounted from the magnet after the magnet is powered. In this manner, the heat load placed upon the cryocooler is signficantly reduced when the magnet is powered.
Claims21
A refrigerated superconducting magnet, said magnet comprising:
- a magnet cartridge means;
- a thermal shield means located adjacent said magnet cartridge means;
- at least two refrigerator stage station means located adjacent said magnet cartridge means and said thermal shield means;
- a movable actuator means having first and second ends and located adjacent said stage station means;
- a connector means operatively connected to said second end of said actuator means and capable of contacting one of said stage station means;
- and
- a current lead means which thermally and electrically connects said connector means and thermally and electrically connects one of said connector means with said magnet cartridge means.
A method for cooling a refrigerated superconducting magnet having a magnet cartridge means, a thermal shield means, at least two stage station means, a movable actuator means including a connector means, and a current lead means, said method comprised of the steps of:
- contacting said connector means with at least one of said station means;
- ramping said magnet until said magnet begins to run at a persistent mode;
- conducting heat along said connector means and said current lead means;
- operating said magnet at said persistent mode;
- and
- actuating said actuator means such that said connector means is located at a predetermined distance away from one of said station means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.