Joint Design and Test for the SCH

The NHMFL Series Connected Hybrid (SCH) magnet will provide an energy-efficient 36 T to the DC user facility by employing a 20 kA superconducting outsert coil in series with a resistive insert. The magnet outsert consists of three concentric layer-wound sub-coils using three different grades of Nb₃Sn Cable-in-Conduit Conductors (CICC). The electrical joints in the superconducting outsert require low DC resistance to minimize the refrigeration requirement at the operational 4.5 K temperatures and low AC losses to ensure good stability against ramping operation required by the users. There are four internal splice joints in the outsert, which are Nb₃Sn to Nb₃Sn joints with the same design configuration. There are another two terminal joints between the Nb₃Sn outsert and the two NbTi buslines, which connect the outsert terminals to the two current leads. The two Nb₃Sn to NbTi terminal joints are of identical configurations. All of the joints will be praying-hands configuration with an operation current of 20 kA. The R&D for the joins has been carried out at the NHMFL. The joints design and test results are discussed in this article.