Grooved, stacked-plate superconducting magnets and electrically conductive terminal blocks and related construction techniques

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11417464-B2
Application number	US-202117345194-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2021
Priority date	Dec 27, 2018
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

Described herein are concepts, system and techniques which provide a means to construct robust high-field superconducting magnets using simple fabrication techniques and modular components that scale well toward commercialization. The resulting magnet assembly—which utilizes non-insulated, high temperature superconducting tapes (HTS) and provides for optimized coolant pathways—is inherently strong structurally, which enables maximum utilization of the high magnetic fields available with HTS technology. In addition, the concepts described herein provide for control of quench-induced current distributions within the tape stack and surrounding superstructure to safely dissipate quench energy, while at the same time obtaining acceptable magnet charge time. The net result is a structurally and thermally robust, high-field magnet assembly that is passively protected against quench fault conditions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first electrically conductive plate having a first groove;
a first high-temperature superconductor (HTS) tape stack disposed in the first groove, the first HTS tape stack having a spiral shape;
a second electrically conductive plate having a second groove;
a second HTS tape stack disposed in the second groove, the second HTS tape stack having a spiral shape; and
an electrically conductive connection between the first HTS tape stack and the second HTS tape stack, wherein the electrically conductive connection comprises a high temperature superconductor or a metal that is not a superconductor at a temperature above 30 degrees Kelvin, and
wherein the first HTS tape stack comprises rare-earth barium copper oxide.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive connection comprises a metal that is not a superconductor at a temperature above 30 degrees Kelvin.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the metal comprises copper.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first HTS tape stack comprises a plurality of turns, wherein the first electrically conductive plate provides electrical connections between respective turns of the plurality of turns.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first groove has a spiral shape and the second groove has a spiral shape.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first electrically conductive plate comprises a metal or a metal alloy.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first electrically conductive plate comprises steel.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a coolant channel to cool at least the first HTS tape stack to a temperature at which the first HTS tape stack is superconductive.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the coolant channel is disposed in the first groove.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the coolant channel is disposed outside the first groove.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first electrically conductive plate is electrically insulated from the second electrically conductive plate.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second electrically conductive plates have one or more alignment structures to align the first and second electrically conductive plates when the first and second electrically conductive plates are mated together.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive connection comprises a metal that is not a superconductor at a temperature above 30 degrees Kelvin, and wherein the electrically conductive connection is formed between an innermost turn of the first HTS tape stack and an innermost turn of the second HTS tape stacks.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first groove comprises at least first and second turns, wherein the first turn has a first width and the second turn has a second width, wherein the second width is greater than the first width.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the second turn of the first groove comprises a plurality of turns of the first HTS tape stack.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a magnet.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a conductive terminal block electrically coupled to the first HTS tape stack.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a co-wind material in the first groove.

19. A magnet, comprising:
a first electrically conductive plate having a first groove;
a first high-temperature superconductor (HTS) tape stack disposed in the first groove, the first HTS tape stack having a spiral shape;
a second electrically conductive plate having a second groove;
a second HTS tape stack disposed in the second groove, the second HTS tape stack having a spiral shape; and
an electrically conductive connection between the first HTS tape stack and the second HTS tape stack, wherein the electrically conductive connection comprises a high temperature superconductor or a metal that is not a superconductor at a temperature above 30 degrees Kelvin,
wherein the first HTS tape stack comprises rare-earth barium copper oxide, wherein the first HTS tape stack comprises a first plurality of turns, wherein
the first electrically conductive plate provides electrical connections between respective turns of the first plurality of turns, and
wherein the second HTS tape stack comprises a second plurality of turns, wherein the second electrically conductive plate provides electrical connections between respective turns of the second plurality of turns.

20. The magnet of claim 19 , wherein the electrically conductive connection comprises a metal that is not a superconductor at a temperature above 30 degrees Kelvin.

21. The magnet of claim 20 , wherein the metal comprises copper.

22. The magnet of claim 19 , wherein the magnet is a non-insulated magnet.

23. The magnet of claim 19 , wherein the first electrically conductive plate comprises a metal or a metal alloy.

24. The magnet of claim 19 , wherein the first electrically conductive plate comprises steel.

25. The magnet of claim 19 , wherein the first electrically conductive plate is electrically insulated from the second electrically conductive plate.

26. The magnet of claim 19 , wherein the electrically conductive connection comprises a metal that is not a superconductor at a temperature above 30 degrees Kelvin, and wherein the electrically conductive connection is formed between an innermost turn of the first HTS tape stack and an innermost turn of the second HTS tape stack.

27. The magnet of claim 19 , wherein the first groove comprises at least first and second turns, wherein the first turn has a first width and the second turn has a second width, wherein the second width is greater than the first width.

28. The magnet of claim 27 , wherein the second turn of the first groove comprises a plurality of turns of the first HTS tape stack.

29. The magnet of claim 19 , further comprising a coolant channel to cool at least the first HTS tape stack to a temperature at which the first HTS tape stack is superconductive.

30. A fabrication method, comprising:
forming a first electrically conductive plate having a first groove;
disposing a first high-temperature superconductor (HTS) tape stack in the first groove in a spiral shape, wherein the first HTS tape stack comprises rare earth barium copper oxide;
forming a second electrically conductive plate having a second groove; disposing a second HTS tape stack in the second groove in a spiral shape; and
electrically connecting the first HTS tape stack and the second HTS tape stack with an electrically conductive connection comprising a high temperature superconductor or a metal that is not a superconductor at a temperature above 30 degrees Kelvin.

Assignees

• Massachusetts Inst Technology
• Commonwealth Fusion Systems Llc

Inventors

• Labombard Brian
• Granetz Robert S
• Irby James
• Vieira Rui
• Beck William
• Brunner Daniel
• Doody Jeffrey
• Greenwald Martin
• Hartwig Zachary
• Michael philip
• Mumgaard Robert
• Radovinsky Alexey
• Shiraiwa Syun'Ichi
• Sorbom Brandon N
• Wright John
• Zhou Lihua

Classifications

• H01F41/048 Primary

  Superconductive coils · CPC title

• H01F6/04 Primary

  Cooling · CPC title

• H01F6/02

  Quenching; Protection arrangements during quenching {(protection circuits H02H7/001)} · CPC title

• H01F6/06 Primary

  Coils, e.g. winding, insulating, terminating or casing arrangements therefor · CPC title

• Y10S505/879

  Magnet or electromagnet · CPC title