Development of a Nb/sub 3/Sn superconducting strand with tie-processed Nb surface coating to limit inter-strand eddy currents in cables

Author

Yu, D. ; Wong, J. ; DeMoranville, K.

Author_Institution

Supercon Inc., Shrewsbury, MA, USA

Volume

5

Issue

2

fYear

1995

fDate

6/1/1995 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1913

Lastpage

1916

Abstract

ITER/TPX-type bronze-route Nb-coated Nb/sub 3/Sn strands were successfully fabricated using a co-processing technique as an alternative to the existing hard chrome plating method. Results show that a continuous Nb layer as thin as 2-3 /spl mu/m can be formed on the surface of TPX/ITER strands during strand processing. This Nb coating prevents the superconducting strands in a Cable-in-Conduit (CIC) conductor from sintering during Nb/sub 3/Sn reaction heat treatment. It was demonstrated that the Nb surface coating does not degrade the residual resistance ratio (RRR) of the Cu stabilizer in the strand as well as the critical current density in superconducting filaments. The additional magnetization hysteresis loss due to the Nb surface coating is negligible when compared to the loss from Nb/sub 3/Sn filaments in the strand.<>

Keywords

copper; critical current density (superconductivity); eddy currents; heat treatment; magnetic hysteresis; materials preparation; multifilamentary superconductors; niobium; niobium alloys; superconducting cables; tin alloys; type II superconductors; Cu stabilizer; Nb/sub 3/Sn; Nb/sub 3/Sn-Cu-Nb; TPX/ITER strands; bronze processing; cable-in-conduit conductor; continuous Nb layer; critical current density; inter-strand eddy currents; magnetization hysteresis loss; residual resistance ratio; superconducting filaments; superconducting strand; tie-processed Nb surface coating; Coatings; Conductors; Degradation; Heat treatment; Niobium; Superconducting cables; Superconducting epitaxial layers; Surface resistance; Surface treatment; Tin;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Applied Superconductivity, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1051-8223

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/77.402956

Filename

402956