Development and Testing of Forced-Flow Cooling CORC Joint

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Abstract
Superconducting joint is the key component for the superconducting magnet system, which determines the ohmic heat loading during high current carrying operation conditions. Tapered structure is usually used in CORC joint, which can realize the direct electrical contact between each REBCO layer and copper plate. However, when considering forced-flow cooling, traditional tapered structure needs to be optimized to realize cooling medium transmission and enhance current distribution uniformity. A new CORC joint with forced-flow cooling method is introduced in this paper. The relationship between tapered length of each layer and current distribution unevenness is also analyzed, it reveals that tapered length is greater than twisting pitch length of CORC cable, the current distribution uniformity is acceptable. For transporting cooling medium (liquid helium, supercritical helium and so on), there is two cooling channel, including central cooling channel and circumferential cooling channel, which can realize efficient transmission of central and annular cooling medium (The central core shaft with spiral holes can realize the exchange of cooling medium between the center and the annular direction). The forced-flow CORC joint has been prepared and 77 nΩ resistance has been achieved. 1.5 K temperature rise occurs with 4 kA current. In the updated design, the copper head size is further increased and cooling channels are added. The resistance achieved 46 nΩ and only 0.5 K temperature rise occurs with 4 kA current carrying. The developed CORC joint has been used on the HTS SMES system with maximum 10 kA current capacity.
Funding Information
  • Key Science & Technology Project of Anhui Province (202523f12050006)
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (52407033)
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (52525702)
  • Fusion Energy Key Core Equipment Research and Development Capacity Improvement Project (2304-000000-04-01-770282)

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