TPX magnet helium stub penetration and joining

Author

Sanger, P.A. ; Hillenbrand, R.J. ; Swartzback, G.W. ; Urban, W.M. ; Salkin, J.T.

Author_Institution

Northrop Grumman Sci. & Technol. Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Volume

7

Issue

2

fYear

1997

fDate

6/1/1997 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

489

Lastpage

492

Abstract

In support of the TPX magnet project, a program was initiated to develop a technique to attach the helium cooling piping to the cable in conduit conductor. The requirements placed on the technique were high reliability without degrading either the properties of the superconductor or the structural performance of the conductor at the attachment point. The design that evolved consisted of piercing a hole with a roto-broaching tool and TIG welding of the stub to the conductor. The results of the testing that was performed indicated: 1) this joint was leak tight at a sensitivity of 10/sup -10/ std cc/sec, 2) remained so after 5 thermal cycles to 77/spl deg/K and pressurization to 100 atm, and 3) critical current degradation was limited to two of the 162 strands of the cable. A full description of the design and the testing program is presented in the paper.

Keywords

critical currents; cryogenics; fusion reactor design; fusion reactor materials; fusion reactors; superconducting cables; superconducting magnets; 100 atm; 77 K; He; He stub joining; He stub penetration; TIG welding; TPX magnet; cable in conduit conductor; cooling piping; critical current degradation; fusion reactor; reactor design; roto-broaching tool; superconducting magnet; testing program; Conductors; Cooling; Critical current; Degradation; Helium; Performance evaluation; Superconducting cables; Superconducting magnets; Testing; Welding;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Applied Superconductivity, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1051-8223

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/77.614541

Filename

614541