Large Scale Assembly and Characterization of Bi-2223 HTS Conductors

The powering of the LHC machine requires more than 1000 High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) current leads. These leads contain, at their cold end, HTS conductors made of stacks of Bi-2223 tape with gold-doped silver matrix. CERN specified and purchased 31 km of this material, which was delivered on spools in unit lengths of 100 to 300 m. On reception the tape was inspected, cut into short length and vacuum soldered into stacks. All stacks were characterized in liquid nitrogen using a measuring procedure and set-up specifically developed for this purpose. Contact resistance values and critical currents at different electric field criteria were measured, from which the n-values have been extrapolated from the experimental V-I characteristics. This paper reports on the assembly and electrical characterization (up to 800 A) of more than ten thousand Bi-2223 stacks. Three types of stack were made from tape from two manufacturers. The assembly and soldering procedures and the set-up for the series electrical characterization are described. An analysis of the measured data is presented, with particular regard to the homogeneity of the electrical properties of both the tape and the derived stacks.