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Distributions of stress in helical coils with the geodesic winding based on virial theorem are analyzed theoretically and numerically. A force-balanced coil (FBC) is a multi-pole helical hybrid coil combining toroidal field (TF) coils and a solenoid helically wound on a torus. The combination reduces the net electromagnetic force in the direction of major radius by canceling the centering force due to the TF coil current and the hoop force due to the solenoid current. The FBC concept was extended using the virial theorem which shows that strength of magnetic field is restricted by working stress in the coils and their supporting structure. High-field coils should accordingly have same averaged principal stresses in all directions which is named the virial-limit condition. Recently, we made a model FBC which were neither impregnated with epoxy resin nor reinforced with stainless steel wires. Using acoustic emission measurements, we found that the wires vibrated in response to electromagnetic force changes. Since FBC winding is modulated to reduce the tilting force, the winding is slightly similar to but different from the shortest geodesic trajectory and has no tensile load. In order to reduce the vibration, the geodesic winding is expected to be effective. In this work, we analyze the effect of the winding modulations including the geodesic modulation for the stress distribution of helical windings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Force-balanced coil (FBC) is a helically wound hybrid coil of toroidal field coils and a solenoid. The FBC can significantly reduce the required mass of the structure for induced electromagnetic forces. Based on the FBC design, a superconducting model coil has been developed. The outer diameter of the model FBC is 0.53 m. The model FBC will have 270 Id magnetic energy with the critical magnetic field of 7.1 T. The critical coil current and self inductance are 552 A and 1.8 H, respectively. The hand-made winding, using NbTi/Cu composite strands with a diameter of 1.17 mm, was finished with 10584 poloidal turns after four months. The helical windings of the model FBC were neither impregnated with epoxy resin nor reinforced with stainless steel wires. Three test runs were conducted with liquid helium cooling at intervals of several months. The number of quench tests was 81 in total. In the third test run, the quench position of the FBC windings was identified using acoustic emission measurements. The first quench current was 293 A, which was 53% of the critical coil current. The training phenomena could be observed even after the coil was warmed up to room temperature. After successive quenches the quench current was improved to 476 A, corresponding to 86% of the critical coil current, and it was successfully excited up to 6.1 T. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power supply for the large-scale accelerator magnets draws a large amount of power from the utility network. For an example, the new proton accelerator complex for high intensity beam (Japan Particle Accelerator Research Complex, J-PARC) is under construction at the Tokai campus of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) as a joint project between KEK and JAEA. The J-PARC SO GeV proton synchrotron (50 GeV-PS) magnets power supplies are constructed with IGBT and IEGT, then the power factor is almost 100%. However, the swing of an active power becomes almost 170 MW, although the average power is about 50 MW. Such large pulse power will give un-allowed disturbances to an ac power line. A SMES system will be required for compensating such as pulse electric power and reducing the disturbances. Case study on circuit configuration of the power supply with SMES and present status of the R & D for the SMES system will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A superconducting force-balanced coil (FBC), which is geometrically one tenth the size of a 100 MJ class SMES coil, has been developed. The FBC is a helically wound hybrid coil of toroidal field coils and a solenoid. This coil configuration can minimize the required mass of the structure for induced electromagnetic forces. The model FBC with an outer diameter of 0.53 m will have 270 kJ magnetic energy at the critical magnetic field of 7.1 T using NbTi strands. The critical coil current and self inductance are 552 A and 1.8 H, respectively. The diameter of the NbTi strand is 1.17 mm. The hand-made winding of the model FBC was carried out without reinforcing materials such as stainless steel wires. The first experiment was conducted with liquid helium cooling. The quench properties of the model FBC were mainly investigated. The first quench current is 293 A, which is 53% of the critical coil current. Training phenomena were observed in the model FBC without any sudden decreases in the quench current. After 33 successive excitations the quench current improved to 419 A, and it was successfully excited up to 5.4 T without reinforcing materials for the NbTi strand. This fact demonstrates a primary capability of the FBC as a SMES coil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A one tenth sized model coil based on the force-balanced coil (FBC) design for 100-MJ class SMES has been designed. This coil is a hand-made coil using NbTi superconductors, and the winding of the model FBC is now in progress. The FBC is a helically wound hybrid coil of toroidal field coils and a solenoid. This coil can minimize the mechanical stress and the required mass of the structure for induced electromagnetic forces. The model FBC with an outer diameter of 0.53 m will have the stored energy of 270 kJ at the maximum magnetic field of 7.0 T. The winding form is made of aluminum alloy and slots are cut on its surface with the shape of the helical winding. From the results of the cooling test with liquid nitrogen, the significant deformations of the winding form have not been observed. The winding of the model coil is carried out without reinforcing materials for the NbTi strand. The in-plane curvature of helical coils causes the winding errors. Then after a slight winding tension is applied to the NbTi strand, each winding is adjusted to be fixed in its place. The experiments will be conducted with liquid helium cooling. The DC power supply for the model FBC can simulate various SMES operations. As a first step, the ramp-rate dependence of the superconducting properties of the model coil will be investigated in order to evaluate the mechanical stress in the helical windings without the reinforcing materials for the NbTi strand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new proton accelerator complex for a high intensity beam (Japan Particle Accelerator Research Complex—J-PARC) is under construction at the Tokai campus of Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute as a joint project between KEK and JAERI. The accelerator complex is composed of a 600 MeV linac, a 3 GeV rapid cycling synchrotron, and a 50 GeV main synchrotron. In Phase I, the main synchrotron will be operated at energy of 40 GeV with pulse operation. The proton energy is to be increased up to 50 GeV in Phase II, and a large amount of pulse electric power, which is + 115 MW and -55 MW peak-to-peak with 3.4-second repetition, will be demanded. Such large pulse power will give un-allowed disturbances to the power network. Some means will be required for compensating the pulse electric power and reducing the disturbances. A SMES system is one of the promising means. We have studied a SMES system for this purpose, designed the SMES coils using a force-balanced coil and a solenoid with a capacity of 100 M J/55 MW, and proposed a new circuit scheme. The cost estimation of the SMES system is also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MgB2 and high-temperature superconductors (HTS) are expected to reduce refrigeration energy requirements for superconducting coils. If MgB2 and HTS carry usable current densities at high magnetic fields, in contrast to NbTi superconductors, superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMESI systems will be realized in smaller coil dimensions and shorter conductor lengths. In this work, the design considerations for the SMES systems using MgB2 and/or HTS coils have been discussed. The required specifications of MgB2 and HTS coils with a liquid hydrogen cooling are: (1) the target critical current density of MgB2 and HTS should be higher than 1000 A/mm² (w/o stabilizer) at 15∼20 K and 5∼10 T in order to improve small-sized SMES coils, (2) MgB2 and HTS coils require about 50-kA class superconductors with lengths of 5∼10 km from the viewpoint of the coil construction, (3) the coil windings should be optimized in order to prevent a decrease in the operating current density within an allowable stress of MgB2 and HTS at high magnetic fields, (4) the force-balanced coil (FBC) is an optimal coil configuration that can enhance the operating current density and obtain the stored energy for the same current density about 100 times larger than that in the solenoid case by the effect of the minimization of the working stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to introduce the concept of wind farms linked by SMES systems. In this work, the SMES system is applied to a wind farm that is interconnected with a grid through a hack-to-back DC link for the variable speed operation of the wind turbines. This system enables the output power leveling of the wind farm depending on the power demand and can reduce the capacity of the converter system by selecting an optimal discharge/charge rate of the SMES. By using the stored energy of the SMES, this system can also compensate the inertia of the blades so that the wind turbine speed can be rapidly controlled depending on the wind condition. This paper describes the design condition of the SMES for the output power leveling of the wind farm and discusses the SMES configuration for a 100-MW class wind farm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Force-Balanced Coil (FBC) is a helically wound toroidal coil. The FBC can minimize working stresses by selecting an optimal number of poloidal turns. In order to demonstrate the validity of the FBC concept for high field superconducting magnets, a 7-T Force-Balanced Coil (7-T FBC) was designed. The 7-T FBC will have 270-kJ stored magnetic energy with a major radius of 0.20 m at maximum magnetic field of 7.0 T. This coil is a hand-made coil using NbTi superconductor. The 7-T FBC is designed within an allowable radius whose maximum working stress within an allowable stress of the stabilizer of NbTi strand. Then the winding of the 7-T FBC will be carried out without reinforcing materials for NbTi strand. The experiments will be conducted with pool boiling liquid helium cooling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The winding current density of a superconducting coil is one of the key parameters to realize high field magnet systems with smaller sized superconducting coil. Force-Balanced Coil (FBC) which is a helically wound toroidal coil can control the distribution of working stresses and minimize the structure requirements by selecting an optimal number of poloidal turns. The winding current density of a superconducting coil is estimated from the relationship between ampere-meters of conductor and structure requirements based on the virial theorem. In this case, the FBC can obtain the stored energy for the same winding current density 20 times larger than that in the toroidal field coils case and about 120 times larger than that in the solenoid case. By applying the FBC concept, superconducting magnets will be realized in smaller size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]