Manufacturing of superconduction magnet coil

Abstract

To provide a method for integrating a superconduction cable.SOLUTION: A method contains a step of applying a sleeve to a superconduction cable (a high-temperature superconduction body (HTS) tape 203 and a channel 201). The slave is a flexible and / or resilient slave that includes an inner front surface tracking to the superconduction cable. The method also includes a step of passing the superconduction cable into the sleeve, and applying an integrated material (a solder 750 or a conductive resin) as a liquid into the superconduction cable when the superconduction cable is entered into the sleeve or before the superconduction cable is entered into the sleeve. The superconduction cable passes the sleeve at a high speed so that the integrated material is actually fixed when the superconduction cable passes from the sleeve. The sleeve contains a friction reduction lining to an inner surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the manufacture of superconducting magnet field coils. [Background technology]

[0002] Superconducting materials are typically classified as "high temperature superconductors" (HTS) and "low temperature superconductors" (LTS). LTS materials, such as Nb and NbTi, are metals or metal alloys whose superconductivity can be described by BCS theory. All low temperature superconductors have a peak critical temperature below 30 K (the temperature above which the material cannot become superconducting, even in zero magnetic field). The behavior of HTS materials cannot be described by BCS theory, and many have critical temperatures well above 30 K. The most commonly used HTS materials are "cuprate superconductors", which are ceramics based on cuprates (compounds containing a copper oxide group) such as BSCCO or ReBCO (where Re is a rare earth element, typically Y or Gd). Other HTS materials are iron nicotides (e.g. FeAs and FeSe) and magnesium diboride (MgB 2 ).

[0003] ReBCO superconductors are typically manufactured as tapes approximately 100 micrometers thick and 2 to 12 millimeters wide. The structure of a typical tape 100 is shown in FIG. 1 and includes a substrate 101, typically an electropolished nickel-molybdenum alloy, e.g. Hastelloy®, approximately 50 micrometers thick, on which a series of buffer layers, known as a buffer stack 102, approximately 0.2 micrometers thick, are deposited. An epitaxial ReBCO·HTS layer 103 overlies the buffer stack, typically 1 micrometer thick. A 1 to 2 micrometer silver layer 104 and a copper stabilizer layer 105 are deposited on the tape, often completely enveloping it. The silver layer 104 and the copper stabilizer layer 105 extend continuously around the periphery of the tape 100 (not shown in FIG. 1 for clarity) and are therefore also referred to as "cladding". The silver layer 104 provides a low resistance electrical interface to and a hermetic protective seal around the ReBCO layer 103, while the copper layer 105 allows external connection to the tape from both sides (e.g., by soldering) and provides parallel conductive paths for electrical stabilization. "Peel-off" HTS tapes can also be produced, which lack the substrate and buffer stack.

[0004] An HTS cable includes one or more HTS tapes connected along its length by a conductive material such as solder. The HTS tapes may be stacked (i.e., arranged so that the HTS layers are parallel) or may have other tape arrangements that may vary along the length of the cable. Tapes or layers of other materials may be provided between some or all of the HTS tapes to give the cable desired mechanical and electrical properties.

[0005] A superconducting magnet is formed by arranging one or more turns of HTS cable into a coil. A turn or winding of a coil is a section of HTS cable that seals the inside of the coil (i.e., can be modeled as a complete loop). The HTS cable can form a continuous spiral. One type of coil is a pancake coil, where the HTS cable is wound in a planar spiral to form a flat coil. In general, the coil can have an inner and outer circumference of any two-dimensional shape, although circular, racetrack, and D-shaped coils can also be made. The multiple turns can be insulated from each other by providing an electrically insulating material between them, so that current can only flow in a spiral path along the cable. Alternatively, the multiple turns can be electrically connected radially to obtain a non-insulated or partially insulated coil.

[0006] One application of HTS field coils is in tokamak plasma chambers, including spherical tokamaks, where strong magnetic fields are required to confine and control the plasma. HTS field coils are also used in other magnetic plasma confinement devices such as stellarators. Many other applications are possible, including magnets for electric motors or generators, devices for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), devices for proton beam therapy (PBT) and proton boron capture therapy (PBCT).

[0007] In a superconducting magnet coil, the maximum current density that the superconducting material can carry (critical current density Jc) depends on both the magnetic field and the temperature. When the critical current density is exceeded locally, the material begins to transition to normal conductivity. When this happens, ohmic heating causes a rapid increase in temperature and complete loss of superconductivity. This phenomenon is called a quench. When a quench occurs in a superconducting magnet, it must be detected and corrective action taken, such as extracting or safely dumping the coil's electrical energy, before the hot spot temperature causes damage to the coil.

[0008] One way to increase the time available to detect and respond to a quench is to increase the proportion of electrical stabilizer material in the cable. This increases the heat capacity and reduces the electrical resistance of the non-superconducting parts of the cable, thus increasing the time that the current can bypass the normal conducting zone before the coil is damaged. One technique for adding additional stabilizers is to form a cable that includes a metal substrate with HTS tapes. The HTS tapes are electrically connected to the metal substrate. For example, in the HTS cable described in US Pat. No. 5,399,636, the substrate includes a conductive (e.g., copper) channel. A stack of HTS tapes is laid in the grooves of this channel and secured by a bonding agent (e.g., solder). Other techniques include, but are not limited to, using multiple HTS tapes with thickened copper stabilizer layers 105 and / or interleaving multiple HTS tapes with multiple conductive tapes, e.g., copper.

[0009] Fabricating such cables and winding them into magnetic coils is not a trivial task. For example, toroidal field magnets in tokamaks may require stacking of the order of 10 to 100 HTS tapes in a groove to obtain the necessary current carrying properties. The cable is typically consolidated by filling the groove with a consolidation material such as solder or resin that secures the tapes to a substrate. The consolidation material penetrates the gaps between the tapes to improve mechanical strength and electrical conductivity. Subsequent bending of the consolidated cable can cause significant strain in the HTS tapes on the outside of the bend, reducing the achievable critical current density and causing other mechanical and electrical problems.

[0010] US Patent No. 5,399,633 describes a method of winding a field coil in which multiple overlapping HTS tapes are laid down on a substrate to form each turn of the coil. By continuing to lay down additional channels and tapes, the coil can be built up to any desired number of turns. A spool advances around the coil to unfold the substrate, and a tape laying device advances around the path of the coil, spooling out the tape and applying a fixing medium (e.g., solder) from a dispenser to lay down each tape in turn.

[0011] One problem with this approach is that the steps of bending the channel and inserting and fastening the HTS tape are all done simultaneously. An improved approach that could separate the steps as needed would be easier to inspect and make it easier to fix any problems.

[0012] During the construction of the toroidal field coils for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a cylindrical low-temperature superconducting cable was bent into a coil shape, after which the turns were lifted and an insulating layer was wrapped around the cable. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0013] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2023 / 083667 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2023 / 083956 Summary of the Invention

[0014] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a superconducting magnet comprising providing a conductive substrate (such as an open U-channel) shaped into a substantially planar coil having a plurality of turns, the conductive substrate having a groove along its length, the groove facing radially of the coil, in other words the groove facing either inwardly or outwardly within the plane of the coil, translating at least a portion of the conductive substrate out of the plane of the coil to expose at least a portion of the groove, and inserting superconducting material into the exposed portion of the groove.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a pancake coil can be fabricated from a twist-free superconducting cable without straining the superconducting material by bending the integrated cable, since the superconducting material is inserted in a separate step into the radially oriented grooves of a pre-bent conducting channel. The superconducting material may be multiple tapes of high temperature superconducting material arranged in a stack and aligned with each other along the length of the wound coil.

[0016] In one embodiment, the translating step includes progressively translating a portion of the conductive substrate out of the plane of the coil along the length of the conductive substrate to progressively expose a portion of the groove. For example, a portion of the coil may be elevated and then lowered once the superconducting material is inserted into the exposed groove, or may be supported in a raised plane with the exposed portion between the two planes. In other arrangements, substantially the entire coil may be translated out of the plane of the coil to form a spiral helix with substantially the entire groove remaining exposed at the same time.

[0017] In one embodiment, the superconducting material is solidified in the grooves with a conductive consolidation material such as solder. For example, a portion of the exposed portion of the groove may be substantially filled with a liquid consolidation material that solidifies to consolidate the cable. This may be accomplished by immersing at least the exposed portion of the groove, or the entire groove, in the liquid consolidation material. The liquid consolidation material may be contained in a moving liquid bath that moves along the length of the coil to progressively immerse the exposed portion of the conductive substrate groove.

[0018] In one embodiment, the method includes bending the conductive substrate to provide a substantially planar coil, which bending step may be performed separately from the inserting step or may be performed as part of a connected process.

[0019] In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a superconducting magnet, the method comprising providing a conductive substrate shaped into a substantially planar coil having a plurality of turns, the conductive substrate having a groove along its length, the groove facing a radial direction of the coil, superconducting material disposed within the groove, translating at least a portion of the conductive substrate out of the plane of the coil to expose at least a portion of the groove, and consolidating the superconducting material disposed in the exposed portion of the groove. In this aspect, the inserting step is followed by the consolidating step using a process similar to translating a portion of the coil to expose the groove. Advantages and preferred features of this aspect will become apparent from a discussion of the first aspect and the detailed description below.

[0020] In another aspect, the present invention provides a device for manufacturing a superconducting magnet, the device comprising: a substantially planar coil having a plurality of turns formed from a conductive substrate, the conductive substrate having a groove along its length, the groove facing a radial direction of the coil; a first carriage (or at least one first carriage) movable relative to the coil for translating at least a portion of the conductive substrate out of the plane of the coil to expose at least a portion of the groove; and at least one of: a second carriage movable relative to the coil for inserting superconducting material into the exposed portion of the groove; and / or a third carriage movable relative to the coil for consolidating superconducting material disposed in the exposed portion of the groove. Advantages and preferred features of this aspect will become apparent from a discussion of the first aspect and the detailed description below.

[0021] In another aspect, the invention provides a method of manufacturing a superconducting magnet, the method comprising providing a substrate shaped into a spiral coil having a plurality of turns, each turn being larger in a radial direction of the coil than a preceding turn; translating at least a portion of the substrate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the radial direction to make said portion of the substrate accessible for a subsequent operation; and performing one or both of the following subsequent operations on the accessible portion of the substrate: applying a superconducting material to the substrate; and fixing a superconducting material to the substrate.

[0022] In another aspect, the invention provides a device for manufacturing a superconducting magnet, the device including: a support configured to hold a coil having a plurality of turns formed from a conductive substrate; one or more first carriages movable relative to the support for translating at least a portion of the conductive substrate away from the support to expose at least a portion of a radially inward or radially outward surface of the substrate; and at least one of the following: a second carriage movable relative to the support for applying superconducting material to the exposed radially inward or radially outward surface of the substrate; and / or a third carriage movable relative to the support for consolidating superconducting material disposed on the exposed radially inward or radially outward surface of the substrate.

[0023] In another aspect, the present invention provides a liquid bath for consolidating a superconducting cable, the liquid bath comprising a vessel having a first opening and a second opening on each side, the first opening being located on an opposite side of the vessel to the second opening, and first and second seals positioned in the first and second openings, respectively, each having an aperture through which the corresponding seal passes, each seal being flexible and resilient to conform to the superconducting cable when the superconducting cable passes through the corresponding aperture, the vessel configured to contain a quantity of liquid consolidation material at least partially immersing the superconducting cable passing through both apertures. A liquid bath embodying this aspect of the invention may be used in conjunction with the preceding aspects and may find utility in other contexts. Advantageously, a liquid bath embodying this aspect may be used to consolidate a pre-bent substantially rigid superconducting cable.

[0024] In one embodiment, the liquid vessel further includes an elongated sleeve extending from the aperture of the second seal, the elongated sleeve being joined with the seal to reduce or prevent leakage and formed from a flexible and resilient material for sealing around the superconducting cable.

[0025] In one embodiment, means are provided for cooling the sleeve so that, in use, the liquid integrating material solidifies before the cable exits the sleeve.

[0026] In one embodiment, the inner wall of the sleeve is provided with a groove in fluid communication with the reservoir to provide a passage for the flow of the consolidation material from the reservoir along the sleeve, thereby allowing additional consolidation material to flow into the superconducting cable to ensure that the cable is substantially filled with the consolidation material.

[0027] In one embodiment, the liquid bath further includes a displacer movable relative to the vessel to different positions within the vessel, in this manner allowing the level of liquid consolidation material within the vessel to be raised or lowered to selectively immerse the superconducting cables.

[0028] In one embodiment, each opening includes an opening slit in the upper edge of the vessel to facilitate insertion and replacement of seals into the openings and initial introduction of the superconducting cable into the bath.

[0029] In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of consolidating a superconducting cable, the method comprising: providing a container having first and second seals on different sides, each having an aperture through a corresponding seal, each seal being flexible and resilient to conform to the superconducting cable as the superconducting cable passes through the aperture; inserting a portion of the superconducting cable into the container such that the superconducting cable passes through the first and second apertures; providing a consolidation material as a liquid in the container at a level at which the portion of the superconducting cable is at least partially immersed; moving the superconducting cable and the container relative to each other such that the superconducting cable passes through the aperture so that a proceeding portion of the superconducting cable is at least partially immersed in the consolidation material as a liquid; and solidifying the consolidation material within the superconducting cable to consolidate the superconducting cable.

[0030] In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for consolidating a superconducting cable, the method comprising providing a sleeve, the sleeve being a flexible and elastic sleeve having an inner surface conforming to the superconducting cable, passing the superconducting cable through the sleeve, and providing the superconducting cable with a consolidation material as a liquid when the superconducting cable enters the sleeve or before the superconducting cable enters the sleeve, the superconducting cable passing through the sleeve at a rate such that the consolidation material is substantially solid when the superconducting cable exits the sleeve. An embodiment of this aspect provides several options for manufacturing and consolidating a superconducting cable. For example, the sleeve may be connected to an outlet from a liquid bath (such as the one described above) containing the liquid consolidation material, the method further comprising at least partially immersing the superconducting cable (which may be a substantially rigid and / or pre-bent cable) in the liquid consolidation material in the liquid bath and passing the superconducting cable through the liquid bath. The superconducting cable may in this case include a superconducting material disposed in the grooves of the conductive channel.

[0031] In another arrangement, the method further includes bending the cable through the sleeve before the liquid consolidated material has solidified. In this arrangement, the cable may be a laminate of tapes of high temperature superconducting (HTS) material (and optionally additional layers or tapes of different materials) that can be bent while in the flexible sleeve and while the consolidated material is still liquid to avoid straining the HTS material by bending the consolidated cable.

[0032] In another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for consolidating a superconducting cable, the apparatus including a sleeve that is flexible and resilient to fit over the superconducting cable, the sleeve having a first end and a second end, and a liquid consolidation material supplier disposed at the first end of the sleeve, the liquid consolidation material supplier configured to supply liquid consolidation material to the superconducting cable.

[0033] Further embodiments of the above aspects are described in claims 2 onwards and in the concluding clauses of this specification. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0034] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0035] [Figure 1] 1 shows a high temperature superconducting tape. [Figure 2A-2B] 2A and 2B show a cable that includes an open conductive channel. [Diagram 3] A planar coil wound from such a cable is shown. [Figure 4] Shows a spiral swirl. [Diagram 5] 1 shows a device for lifting a wound planar coil into a helical spiral. [Figure 6] 1 shows a device for gradually lifting a wound planar coil. [Figure 7] 1 shows a liquid bath containing the integrated material. [Figure 8] 1 shows the cable in a flexible sleeve. [Figure 9] An apparatus for integrating a superconducting cable is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0036] Figures 2A and 2B show an HTS cable 200 as described in US Pat. Nos. 5,993,333 and 5,993,366. Figure 2A is an isometric view and Figure 2B is an end cross-sectional view. Only a short section of the HTS cable is shown, and the section may extend any length in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 2A.

[0037] 2A also shows three directional axes that will be used in the following description: L is the direction "along the length" of the HTS cable, W is the direction "along the width" of the HTS cable, and H is the direction "along the height" of the HTS cable. When the HTS cable is curved or twisted, each of these axes is considered locally, so the orientation of the axes is relative to the HTS cable at the point being described, not relative to an external reference. For example, if the HTS cable is wound into a coil, the direction H is the radial direction of the coil.

[0038] The HTS cable 200 includes a channel 201, which provides a substrate for the HTS cable. The channel 201 is an elongated conductive element with a groove 202 on one side along its length, and has a substantially flat U-shaped cross section. In other words, the channel 201 has a web extending in a width direction W. The web connects two flanges extending in a height direction H, with a space between the flanges defining the groove 202 extending in a length direction L. In the following, for ease of understanding, this arrangement is described with the substrate in an open U-channel structure, but it will be understood that other arrangements are possible. For example, the conductive element may have a substantially H-shaped cross section with a second groove on the opposite side of the first groove. This arrangement corresponds to two U-shaped channels fixed back to back, with little electrical or thermal resistance between them. In either the U-channel or H-channel, the flanges provide good electrical stability for the entire height of the HTS cable 200. Nevertheless, a substantially flat substrate without flanges is also possible. The necessary electrical stability on both sides of the cable may be provided by other mechanisms, such as leaving a space which is subsequently filled with a conductive material such as solder.

[0039] The channel 201 may be formed from a conductive material, such as copper, or aluminum electroplated with copper to aid soldering. Other suitable materials include metals and metal alloys, such as high copper alloys that are stronger than pure copper, brass, stainless steel, or conductive composites, or ceramic materials, or combinations thereof. Different materials may be used in different regions of the channel to obtain desired mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties.

[0040] The HTS material is disposed within the grooves 202. The HTS material may be HTS tape 203, as described above with reference to FIG. 1. The HTS tapes 203 may be arranged in a stack or laminate as shown in FIG. 2B, or in other arrangements. When stacked, the HTS tapes 203 are substantially parallel to each other along their lengths, with their widths remaining substantially parallel to the width W of the channel 201, and are stacked in a direction substantially parallel to the height H of the channel 201. The stack may include other materials, such as copper tape, interleaved with the HTS tapes 203 to obtain desired electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties.

[0041] In Figures 2A and 2B, the channel 201 has a substantially rectangular convex envelope. The envelope may be, for example, 10 mm to 30 mm wide and 4 mm to 15 mm high, although the exact size and shape will depend on the desired electrical, thermal and mechanical properties of the cable. Similarly, the groove 202 is substantially rectangular to receive a stack of HTS tapes. The width of the groove may be 2 mm to 12 mm to accommodate typical widths of HTS tapes, and the depth may be 1 mm to 10 mm depending, for example, on the number of HTS tapes required to achieve the desired current density. A conductive adhesive such as solder, resin impregnated with a conductive material, or the like, may be used to secure the HTS material within the channel. The number and / or width of the tapes in the channel may vary along the length of the cable to create a tapered coil with varying current density. The size and shape of the groove 202 may vary accordingly along its length, and / or the extra space may be filled with adhesive or other fillers or filling materials. After placement and / or integration of the HTS tape 203 in the groove 202, the channel 201 may be closed, for example by a metal (eg copper) lid, or may be left open.

[0042] The conductive material of channel 201 provides a low resistance alternative current path for current sharing between the HTS tapes of cable 200, and between turns if the coil is uninsulated or partially insulated. In addition, the channel provides significant thermal mass in close thermal contact with the HTS, which helps mitigate heating caused by the HTS material becoming resistive in the event of a quench.

[0043] A cross section through a coil 300 wound from a cable 200 is shown in Figure 3. The illustrated coil 300 is a pancake coil or a substantially planar coil, where the turns are spirally wound without twisting the cable 200 such that the grooves 202 of the channels 201 are oriented radially through the coil 300, i.e., the direction H of the cable 200 is substantially aligned with the radial direction of the coil. This means that at each point in the coil, the plane of each HTS tape 203 laminated in the grooves 202 (i.e., the plane defined by the L and W directions) is substantially aligned with the magnetic field generated during operation of the coil. This provides a preferential orientation for maximizing the critical current density, compared to a twisted arrangement in which the plane of each HTS tape has a significant component perpendicular to the magnetic field along the majority of its length.

[0044] The grooves 202 may face inward toward the center or interior of the coil, or may face outward (i.e., the grooves may face either way along the direction H). This may be referred to as a concave winding when the grooves face inward, and a convex winding when the grooves face outward. Each of these options has advantages and disadvantages, as well as associated engineering challenges. In the case of a convex winding, the HTS tape 203 may be held in the groove by applying tension to the HTS tape 203 while winding, prior to fixing the HTS tape 203 or consolidating the stack. During operation of the concave wound magnet, the force resulting from the magnetic field pushes the HTS tape 203 into the groove 202, reducing the risk of the HTS tape 203 peeling off. When wound convexly, the risk of the HTS tape 203 peeling off may be mitigated by providing a "lid" or other structural support that covers the stack in the groove. In the following description and figures, the concave winding approach is shown, but it will be recognized that in practice either approach may be used.

[0045] As mentioned above, bending or winding the cable 200 with the stack of HTS tapes 203 already secured and / or integrated within the grooves 202 can cause excessive strain on the HTS tapes 203, degrading their performance. The winding process described in US Pat. No. 6,399,433 addresses this issue, but the steps of bending the channels 201 and inserting and integrating the HTS tapes 203 are complicated to perform all at the same time.

[0046] An embodiment of the present invention proposes an alternative manufacturing process in which the channel 201 is first bent and wound into a desired coil shape, e.g., a substantially planar spiral. The coil is then opened up to form a helical spiral by moving or translating one end of the channel 201 out of the plane of the spiral. This is shown in FIG. 4, where the turns of the D-shaped coil 300 are opened up in the Z direction (e.g., vertically) out of the XY plane of the coil. In the illustrated example of FIG. 4, all the turns of the coil 300 are opened up in a continuously ascending spiral. However, it will be understood below that it is also possible to translate and open up only a portion of the coil at a time (i.e., a subset of the turns of the coil).

[0047] This process makes at least a portion of the individual turns of the coil accessible and also exposes the grooves 202 of the channel 201 for subsequent manufacturing operations. Subsequent operations include inserting and / or fastening HTS tape 203 around the entire circumference of the coil. Another subsequent operation is consolidating the HTS tape 203 in the grooves 202, i.e., substantially filling the grooves and / or the spaces between the HTS tape with a consolidation material such as solder. These subsequent operations may be performed simultaneously with each other or the HTS tape 203 may be temporarily held and consolidated in another step.

[0048] As used herein, the "plane of the spiral" or "plane of the coil" refers to the first plane in which the coil is initially wound (e.g., the XY plane in FIG. 4). Specifically, the "plane of the coil" is treated as being substantially fixed throughout the manufacturing process and does not move even when a portion of the coil (or the entire coil) is translated out of that plane.

[0049] Translation of the channel 201 in the Z direction of the coil 300 does not require bending of the channel 201 about its H or W axis, only a twist about the L axis. Bending of the channel 201, and of any HTS tape 203 within the channel 201, about the H axis (known as a "hard way" bend) can cause significant damage to the HTS tape. Furthermore, as discussed above, bending of an integrated or otherwise rigid stack of HTS tapes about the W axis can cause damage to the tapes on the outside of the bend.

[0050] A coil manufacturing device 500 is shown diagrammatically in cross section in Figure 5 and in perspective in Figure 6. The channel 201 is bent into the shape of the coil 300, for example a planar D-shaped coil. The coil 300 is placed on a fixed horizontal table 505 that is circumnavigated by a mobile carriage or train for carrying out the various manufacturing processes. The carriages move around the table 505 on wheels 507 that follow tracks or rails 510. Each carriage may be moved by an associated motor 512, for example to power a round gear that meshes with a rack gear.

[0051] The first group of carriages includes guide carriages 515. Each guide carriage 515 includes one or more supports 520, such as a plurality of rollers. The one or more supports 520 progressively lift the channel 201 vertically along its length from the table 505 such that at least a portion of the radially facing grooves 202 are exposed. In the example of FIG. 6, this separates the coil 300 into an upper planar coil portion 300a and a lower planar coil portion 300b. In between is a helical portion 300c where the grooves 202 are exposed and one or more individual turns are accessible. Alternatively, the plurality of supports 520 may be arranged such that the guide carriage 515 causes substantially the entire coil 300 to helically open after a sufficient number of revolutions around the coil. This is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, where the grooves 202 are exposed along substantially the entire length of the channel 201. In yet another arrangement, a portion of the channel 201 is progressively raised to travel around the coil to expose the corresponding portion of the groove 202, and then lowered back down to the table 505. It is noted that the reverse arrangement is also possible, lifting the channel 201 off the elevated table 505 after the guide carriage 515 is lowered, or the plane of the coil 300 need not be horizontal. The general principle is that part or all of the channel 201 is translated out of the plane of the coil 300, thereby making the individual turns accessible and exposing the radially facing grooves 202.

[0052] The multiple supports 520 may be vertically movable to open and spiral the coil. In this case, the guide carriage 515 may be fixed in place relative to the table 505, and only the supports 520 move during the process. Alternatively, each guide carriage 515 may have one or more supports 520 at different fixed heights, and there are enough guide carriages 515 spaced around the track 510. Each guide carriage 515 has one or more supports 520 to smoothly lift the channel 201 as it moves around the track 510. This eliminates the need to use additional motors for vertical adjustment of the supports 520. As shown in FIG. 6, each guide carriage 515 may include two or more supports 520. With multiple supports, multiple distances of translation of the channel out of plane can be supported by the same carriage. Additionally, each carriage may include an upper support positioned in the same horizontal plane as the upper supports of each of the other carriages. This allows the upper planar coil portion 300a to be supported at the same height.

[0053] A second carriage or group of carriages includes one or more tape-laying carriages 525 for placing tape in the exposed grooves 202. The or each tape-laying carriage 525 includes one or more spools 530 of HTS tape 203. The tape-laying carriage 525 may have only a single spool 530, as shown in FIG. 6, for continuously laying a single HTS tape 203. This reduces the complexity of the tape laying, but increases the time and / or number of carriages required to lay a stack of HTS tapes. The tape-laying carriage 525 may instead have multiple spools 530 and / or other components for laying one or more layers of HTS tape 203, either substantially continuously or in short overlapping lengths, using techniques such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,399,363. A stack of HTS tapes 203 is laid down in the grooves 202 along the length of the channel 201 during one or more passes, each of which travels from start to finish around the guide carriage 515, and optionally also during one or more passes traveling in the opposite direction. Flux is optionally added to the surface of each HTS tape and / or into the grooves 202 to aid in subsequent consolidation by soldering. The flux may be a flux that is tacky at room temperature and provides adhesion to hold the HTS tapes in place until soldering. Alternatively, or in addition, rollers may be used to compress the tape in the channel, or other means may be used to temporarily hold the tape in the grooves 202. As previously mentioned, in cases where a convex winding strategy is used (i.e., the tape is applied to the radially outward facing surface of the substrate), the winding may be done under tension, thereby holding the HTS tape against the substrate.

[0054] A third carriage or group of carriages includes one or more fixed carriages 535 for carrying a tape fixing or consolidation device 540, such as a solder bath. One detailed embodiment of a solder bath is described in further detail below. The tape consolidation device 540 applies solder or other suitable consolidation material to the HTS tape 203 in the exposed grooves 202, substantially filling the grooves and penetrating the spaces between the tape to ensure good electrical contact between the HTS tape 203 and the conductive channels 201. The fixed carriage 535 may operate during the same pass as the tape laying carriage 525 (operating in the area of ​​the coil where the tape laying carriage previously laid tape), during the final pass of the tape laying carriage 525, or during a separate pass once the tape has been laid and quality inspected.

[0055] Following consolidation of the HTS tape 203 within the groove 202, other processing steps may be performed to finish the coil, such as applying an insulating layer around the cable 200, tightening and final alignment of the turns of the coil 300, consolidating the coil 300 in resin or other suitable material, etc. These may be performed by a suitably configured carriage.

[0056] The channel 201 may be pre-bent in a separate device and placed on the manufacturing device 500. Alternatively, the manufacturing device 500 may also be used to bend the channel 201 before laying the tape. An optional fourth carriage therefore comprises a channel bending carriage (not shown, but the principle is clear from the above description of the other types of carriage). The channel bending carriage may comprise any suitable bending device, such as a roll bender, that bends the channel 201 without leaving internal stresses. The channel 201 is fed into the bending device from a mandrel that moves around with the channel bending carriage. The bending device bends the channel to the desired local curvature. For complex coil shapes, this curvature is not constant, so control of the bending device (for example programmatic or computer controlled) is required. This control adjusts the orientation and spacing of the roll bender according to the required curvature as the bending carriage moves along the track 510. After being bent, the channel 201 is guided onto the winding table by one or more guide carriages 515. The channel bending carriage is then removed in preparation for the HTS tape insertion and integration process described above.

[0057] Apart from the incremental lifting and lowering described above, the coil 300 is stationary during operation of the manufacturing device 500. As a result, the manufacturing device 500 can be scaled to any size coil and can be used for coils of any geometry, including circular, racetrack, and D-shaped. Generally, the overall radius of a helical coil increases from one turn to the next (i.e., for a given angular position around each turn, the radius or distance from the center point increases from one turn to the next), but irregular helical shapes in which the radius may increase or decrease with distance around a turn are possible and amenable to the methods and manufacturing device 500 described above. Although this refers to the "next" turn being radially outward of the "previous" turn, the winding device 500 may be configured to operate in either direction, i.e., to proceed radially inward or outward of the helix.

[0058] The manufacturing device 500 may also be used for non-planar helical coils, where all the turns do not lie in a single plane, but at different heights (or different values ​​of Z as shown in FIG. 4 ). For such coils, the table 505 of the manufacturing device 500 may be contoured at variable heights to trace the shape of the coil with varying radii. The principles described above still apply to non-planar coils, where, with respect to a defined XY plane and / or radial direction, the turns of the coil are translated in a direction substantially perpendicular to the radial direction (i.e., in the Z direction, or perpendicular to the horizontal table 505) to ensure that the turns of the coil are accessible and the grooves are exposed to perform the manufacturing operations described above.

[0059] It has been discovered that applying flux to the individual tapes and / or inside the grooves 202 to secure and consolidate the stack of HTS tapes 203 laid within the channel 201, and then dipping the channel 201 (or at least the stack of HTS tapes 203 within the channel) in solder results in a consolidated stack with good electrical connectivity between the individual HTS tapes 201 and between the HTS tapes and the channel 201. For example, the channel 201 may be dipped into tin-lead solder at approximately 210° C. for about 20 seconds. While it may be possible in some circumstances to immerse the entire coil or a large portion of the coil in solder, this is often not practical for one or more large coils with a channel 201 or other substrate. Instead, sections of the individual turns of the coil (e.g., exposed or accessible turns of the coil as described above) are dipped into solder contained in a small solder bath compared to the coil. This can be done in a continuous process. Here, the turns of the coil are passed through the solder bath (or the solder bath moves around the coil) progressively so that each part of the coil spends at least the required time in the solder bath.

[0060] Solder baths are known, for example, from US 2018 / 0226177 A1, which describes a laminate-forming device in which multiple tapes enter the solder bath through a comb-like input, each tape is individually wetted with solder, combined in a passageway, and exit the solder bath through a spring-loaded sliding door.

[0061] FIG. 7 shows a bath 700 that may be used when consolidating HTS cables, or may conveniently be used as the tape consolidation device 540 described above. The bath may be used to dip a length of cable including HTS tapes (e.g., a stack of HTS tapes 203 disposed in an open channel 201) into the consolidation material. The bath may be relative to the cable to progressively dip and consolidate the cable or a coil wound from the cable. Relative motion between the cable and the bath may be achieved by moving the cable through the bath, or by moving the bath over the cable (e.g., if the bath is carried by a stationary carriage 535), or a combination of the two. The consolidation material may be solder or other suitable consolidation material, such as a conductive resin.

[0062] For ease of explanation, the following describes a bath 700 suitable for containing solder and for use as a tape integration device 540. It will be appreciated that modifications to this illustrated embodiment may be made for use with other integration materials or other HTS cables, such as the choice of construction material.

[0063] The solder bath 700 includes a container 705 for the solder. The container may be made of metal such as stainless steel, aluminum, or other material suitable for containing molten solder. The container 705 may have a solder-resistant protective layer on the inside and a thermally insulating layer on the outside. The base of the container may be provided with one or more holes 710 for inserting one or more corresponding cartridge heaters or similar heating elements used to heat the solder. In this case, the body of the container 705 may have a high thermal conductivity. The heating elements may be automatically controlled in response to measurements from a temperature sensor. Other means of heating the solder may be used. The container 705 may be on the order of 10 cm to 20 cm in each dimension so as to be easily movable while still having a sufficient internal volume to contain a sufficient amount of solder without the need for continuous refilling.

[0064] The displacer 715 can be moved in and out of the container 705 to displace and thus change the level of solder in the container 705. As the solder is depleted in use of the liquid bath 700, the displacer 715 is gradually lowered into the container 705, ensuring that the channel 201 remains submerged in the solder. The displacer 715 may be made of a material with a low coefficient of thermal expansion and may have a low thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity to minimize the loss of heat from the solder to and through the displacer 715 and to reduce the effect of introducing the displacer into the solder. Materials such as silicone or other heat-resistant rubbers or polymers may be suitable. At least the surface of the displacer 715 exposed to the solder may be provided with an additional heat-resistant layer to protect the solder and extend its useful life. The heat-resistant layer may be a fluoropolymer, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Alternatively, or in addition, the displacer may be preheated before being introduced into the solder.

[0065] The container 705 has an opening 701 (e.g., a notch or slit) in each of two opposing sides. Each opening has a seal 720 therein, and each seal has an opening (hereinafter "aperture") 721 therethrough. In use, the superconducting cable 300 passes through these apertures such that the entire width of the cable, or at least the groove 202 and the HTS tape 203 therein, is below the top of the container 705 and can be immersed in solder.

[0066] Each seal 720 may be formed from a flexible, compressible, elastic material that has an aperture 721 sized and shaped to receive and fit tightly around the superconducting cable 200, thereby preventing the solder that passes through the superconducting cable 200 from leaking out of the container 705. Each seal surrounds a channel and applies pressure from all directions, which keeps the solder within the channel and forces excess solder and / or flux vapor out, allowing the solder to penetrate all spaces between the HTS tapes and effectively consolidate the cable. The flexibility of the seal 720 allows it to conform to the varying curvatures along the superconducting cable 200 while still maintaining a hermetic seal. The maximum bend radius of the superconducting cable 200 that the solder bath 700 can tolerate also depends on the distance between the apertures 721. Thus, the interior of container 705 may be made smaller in length (i.e., in the direction of cable travel) compared to its height and width (i.e., in the horizontal direction perpendicular to its length) to reduce the distance between apertures 721 while still having a desired interior volume. Additionally, compressible and elastic seal 720 conforms to small changes in shape or size of the outer envelope of superconducting cable 200 along its length. This ensures that the solder is retained in grooves 202 and other open spaces and does not protrude outside the envelope of superconducting cable 200.

[0067] Suitable materials for seal 720 include silicone or other heat resistant rubbers, elastomers, or polymers. For example, cured silicone rubber having a Shore A hardness of 25 to 60 and / or thermally stable up to 250° C. may be suitable for forming a seal around superconducting cable 200 as described above.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 7, the opening may be provided as a slit in the top edge of the vessel 705 to receive the seal 720 and the superconducting cable 200. This simplifies the initial insertion of the seal 720 and the superconducting cable 200 and subsequent removal at the end of processing or to replace a deteriorated seal 720. Each seal 720 may include a separate base portion 720a and a cap portion 720b, which together define an aperture 721 (i.e., the aperture extends between the base portion and the cap portion). The base portion 720a of the seal 720 is inserted into the opening, after which the superconducting cable 200 is first introduced into the vessel 705 by being lowered vertically into the base portion 720a, and then the complete seal is completed by the addition of the cap portion 720b. The seal 720 is held in place by clamps 725, such as side clamps 725a to secure the seal base portion 720a against the side of the container 705 and / or a top clamp 725b to secure and hold down the seal top portion 720b.

[0069] Alternatively, the openings may be provided as enclosed holes through a sidewall of vessel 705 and / or each seal 720 may be a single seal member having an aperture 721 therein. Superconducting cable 200 may then be initially introduced into vessel 705 by inserting it lengthwise through aperture 721 of the seal.

[0070] In operation, the following steps may be taken to prepare the bath 700 and cable 200 (or coil 300) for the integration process: (a) filling a container 705 with solder below the level of the seal 720 and heating the solder to 210° C.; (b) introducing the cable 200 into the liquid bath 700 by lowering it onto the seal base portion 720a located in a slit at the top of the container 705; (c) placing the seal cap portions 7250b over the cables 200 and securing each seal cap portion 7250b with a top clamp 725b; (d) Lowering the displacer 715 to raise the solder level and immerse the cable 200.

[0071] When superconducting cable 200 exits solder bath 700, the liquid solder that filled grooves 202 and impregnated stacks of HTS tapes 203 must be solidified sufficiently to remain in place.

[0072] As the superconducting cable 200 exits the solder bath 700, a flow of coolant, such as room temperature or chilled air, may be directed at the superconducting cable 200 to ensure that the solder 750 cools and solidifies quickly and remains in the groove 202. Alternatively, or in addition, an elongated (e.g., on the order of 10 cm to 30 cm) sleeve 730 of flexible and resilient material may be provided at the exit to the solder bath 700. Materials suitable for the seal 725, as described above, may also be suitable for the sleeve 730. At least the inner surface of the sleeve 730 may be provided with a protective and low friction coating or layer. Thus, the sleeve 730 may be a continuation or extension of the exit seal 720, or may be a separate piece connected to the exit seal 720, for example, by the clamp 725. The sleeve 730 fits tightly around the superconducting cable 200 and has internal dimensions the same as or slightly smaller than those of the superconducting cable 200, thereby holding the solder in place as it cools. If the solder bath 700 is required to move in both directions relative to the cable 300 , a sleeve 730 may be provided on both seals 720 .

[0073] When cable 300 is bent, sleeve 730 may have a rest position bent to a similar radius of curvature as cable 300 and / or may be flexible enough to follow the radius of curvature of cable 300 or changes in that radius or bending axis. When cable 300 is straight, the sleeve only needs to be flexible enough to follow around the cross section of cable 300.

[0074] Sleeve 730 can be operable, i.e., it can be opened along its length so that a superconducting cable can be initially inserted into the sleeve through a sidewall of the sleeve, and resealed so that the sleeve sealingly conforms around the superconducting cable.

[0075] If an alternative consolidation material is used, such as a conductive resin, a curing process, such as UV exposure, may be required to solidify the consolidation material. Means for accomplishing this curing process, such as a UV light source, may be provided where the superconducting cable 200 exits the solder bath 700.

[0076] The seal 720 and / or sleeve 730, or at least the interior surface of the seal and / or sleeve that contacts the solder and / or superconducting cable 200, may be provided with one or more additional layers or coatings, such as protective, heat resistant and / or low friction coatings or layers. Even rubber, which is usually sold as "heat resistant", may become brittle and / or degrade due to chemical reactions with the solder when repeatedly exposed to molten solder (at temperatures above 200°C). Thus, a relatively heat resistant layer and / or a protective layer that provides a physical barrier may extend the useful life of the seal 720 and / or sleeve 730. The seal and / or sleeve may provide a very tight fit around the superconducting cable 200 requiring a large amount of force for the superconducting cable 200 to pass through the seal 720 and / or sleeve 730. The force required for the cable 200 to pass through the seal 720 and / or sleeve 730 can be reduced by providing a friction reducing lining, i.e., an inner layer that has a lower coefficient of friction (COF) between the material forming the body of the seal 720 or sleeve 730 and the material of the channel than the COF between the material of the layer and the material of the channel. The relative coefficient of friction can be measured empirically by comparing the force required to pull a cable through a seal or sleeve with and without a layer having a low coefficient of friction. If the layer lowers the coefficient of friction as needed, it will be easier to pull a cable through it when the layer is present than when the layer is absent. Fluoropolymers such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) are one class of suitable materials that protect the body of the seal and / or sleeve from heat and direct contact and have a very low COF with most materials.

[0077] The material of the additional layer or layers may not be as flexible or compressible as the material forming the body of the seal 720. For example, PTFE is relatively inflexible and incompressible compared to silicone rubber and the like. This layer should be thin enough to allow the seal to flex and conform with the shape of the superconducting cable 200. By way of example, for PTFE, a thickness of less than 1 mm, or around 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm, may be appropriate. As a further example, the thickness of the additional layer may be less than 10% of the thickness of the material forming the body of the seal 720 or sheath 730, or less than 5% of that thickness, or less than 1% of that thickness.

[0078] While the above description refers to a superconducting cable 200 as previously described, the integration method and solder bath may be used with any type of superconducting cable, and is particularly well suited to superconducting cables that include multiple HTS tapes.

[0079] 8 is a schematic cross-section through HTS cable 200 within sleeve 730 illustrating non-optimal solder integration. Solder 750 sinks under gravity to the lower region of groove 202 in channel 201, leaving a void or air gap 755 in the upper region of groove 202.

[0080] The length of sleeve 730 required to ensure acceptable integration will depend on factors including the temperature of the solder and the local environment, as well as the rate of progression of the solder bath 700 around the coil 300. Accelerated cooling of the solder 750 within the sleeve 730 may be achieved by providing a cooling channel which, in use, carries a suitable coolant, which may encircle the sleeve 730 one or more times and be located either within the sleeve body or around the circumference of the sleeve.

[0081] Another solution to improve integration is to increase the pressure that forces the solder 750 into the grooves 202. This can be done simply by providing a large head of solder on top of the superconducting cable 200 in the liquid bath 700. Another option is to seal and pressurize the container 705 of the solder bath 700, but without a pressure regulator and / or safety valve, this may present unacceptable risks. Another solution is to provide an internal channel or groove 760 along the sleeve 730 that coincides with the top of the grooves 202 in the conductive channel 201, allowing new solder 750 to flow from the container 705 into the grooves 202 if a void 755 forms.

[0082] An alternative approach to integrating a superconducting cable uses a flexible sleeve similar to flexible sleeve 730 described above. This approach is particularly suited to flexible cables, although it may be used for rigid cables, e.g., cables that include a substantially rigid substrate, such as superconducting cable 200. For example, a flexible cable may be formed from a stack of tapes including a plurality of HTS tapes, and optionally one or more other tapes or flexible layers adjacent to, interleaved with, and / or sandwiched around the stack of HTS tapes.

[0083] An apparatus for this approach is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 9. The apparatus includes a resilient flexible sleeve 901 that conforms to a superconducting cable 910, and a liquid consolidation material supplier 902 arranged to provide liquid consolidation material to the superconducting cable as it enters the flexible sleeve or before it enters the flexible sleeve. The apparatus may optionally include means for moving the superconducting cable relative to the flexible sleeve, such as a mandrel 903 that winds the superconducting cable into a coil and gradually draws it in (or it may be moved manually). The apparatus may further optionally include components for assembling the superconducting cable in situ, such as a spool 911 of HTS tapes and optionally other tapes that are brought together to gradually form the superconducting cable before it enters the flexible sleeve. The apparatus may further optionally include a heater 904a and / or a cooler 904b arranged along the flexible sleeve. The cooler is preferably positioned towards one end opposite the liquid integrated material supply.

[0084] The liquid integration material supply may include a bath of liquid integration material through which the superconducting cable (or a component of the superconducting cable) passes before entering the flexible sleeve. Alternatively, the liquid integration material supply may include a reservoir of liquid integration material and a conduit that provides the liquid integration material from the reservoir to the inlet of the flexible sleeve 901.

[0085] The consolidation material may be solder. Other components, such as a flux applicator 905, may be provided to assist in incorporating the consolidation material into the superconducting cable.

[0086] The solder is liquid along a first portion of the sleeve near the liquid integration material supply and solid along a second portion of the sleeve. The sleeve may be tilted downward so that gravity helps hold the solder in place. The flexible cable may be bent into the desired final shape while in the first portion of the sleeve and the solder is liquid, for example, by a mandrel as shown in FIG. 9 or by other suitable tooling. In this way, the solder solidifies in the desired cable shape without straining the HTS tape outside the bend. The cable then exits the sleeve in a bent state. The relative lengths of the first and second portions may be controlled by positioning heating and / or cooling sources along the sleeve. For example, the sleeve and cable may be heated all the way through the bending station and cooled after bending or at or near the exit of the sleeve.

[0087] The bent cable may be wound onto a former on a rotating table to form the magnet. Alternatively, the cable shaping and bending device may move around a fixed table.

[0088] Additional embodiments of the present invention are further set forth in the following numbered clauses:

[0089] [Clause 1] 1. A liquid bath for consolidating a superconducting cable, comprising: a container having first and second openings on respective sides, the first opening being disposed on an opposite side of the container from the second opening; first and second seals disposed in the first and second openings, respectively, each of the first and second seals having an aperture therethrough, each seal being flexible and resilient to conform to the superconducting cable as it passes through the corresponding aperture; Including, The vessel is configured to contain a quantity of the consolidation material as a liquid that at least partially immerses the superconducting cable passing through both apertures. [Clause 2] 13. The liquid vessel of claim 1, further comprising an elongated sleeve extending from the aperture of the second seal, the sleeve being formed from a flexible and resilient material for sealing around the superconducting cable. [Clause 3] The liquid bath of clause 2, further comprising means for cooling said sleeve. [Article 4] The liquid vessel of clause 2, further comprising a groove in an inner wall of the sleeve, the groove providing a passage for flow of the integration material as a liquid from the vessel along the superconducting cable within the sleeve. [Article 5] The fluid vessel of clause 2, wherein the sleeve and / or the seal include a friction reducing lining on an inner surface. [Article 6] 13. The liquid bath of clause 1, further comprising a displacer movable relative to the container to raise or lower the level of the consolidated material by varying the amount of the consolidated material as a liquid. [Article 7] The liquid vessel of clause 6, wherein the displacer is formed from silicone or rubber. [Article 8] 7. The liquid vessel of clause 6 including means for heating said displacer. [Article 9] 13. The liquid vessel of clause 1 including means for heating said vessel. [Article 10] 2. The liquid vessel of claim 1, wherein a length of an interior of the vessel between the first aperture and the second aperture is less than a width of the vessel in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the length. [Article 11] The liquid vessel of clause 1, wherein each opening extends to a top of a respective side of the vessel. [Article 12] The fluid vessel of clause 1, wherein each seal includes a base portion and a cap portion, the aperture extending between the base portion and the cap portion, and at least the cap portion being removable from the opening. [Article 13] The vessel of clause 1, including one or more clamps arranged to secure the seal to the vessel. [Article 14] 2. The liquid vessel of clause 1, wherein the vessel is sealable and includes means for pressurizing the vessel. [Article 15] 1. A method for consolidating a superconducting cable, comprising the steps of: providing a container having first and second seals on different sides, each of the first and second seals having an aperture therethrough, each seal being flexible and resilient to conform to the superconducting cable as it passes through the aperture; inserting a portion of the superconducting cable into the vessel such that the superconducting cable passes through the first and second apertures; providing a liquid consolidation material in said container at a level at least partially immersing said portion of said superconducting cable; moving the superconducting cable and the container relative to one another to pass the superconducting cable through the aperture, thereby at least partially immersing a traveling portion of the superconducting cable in the consolidation material as a liquid; solidifying the consolidation material within the superconducting cable to consolidate the superconducting cable; A method comprising: [Article 16] 16. The method of claim 15, comprising heating the container to a temperature above a melting point of the consolidation material. [Article 17] 16. The method of claim 15, including flowing a coolant over the superconducting cable as it exits the vessel. [Article 18] 16. The method of claim 15, including pressurizing the vessel after insertion of the superconducting cable. [Article 19] each seal includes a base portion and a cap portion, each aperture extending between a corresponding base portion and a corresponding cap portion when both the base portion and the cap portion are inserted into a corresponding side of the container, and a portion of the superconducting cable is inserted into the container; With the base portion of each seal inserted into a corresponding side of the container, inserting the superconducting cable into contact with each base portion; inserting the cap portion of each seal into a corresponding side of the container to form a respective aperture about the superconducting cable; The methods of clause 15, including: [Article 20] 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the superconducting cable includes a stack of high temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes, and the step of at least partially immersing the advancing portion of the superconducting cable in the consolidation material includes filling spaces between the HTS tapes with the consolidation material. [Article 21] 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the superconducting cable further comprises a substrate, and the consolidation material, when solidified, secures the stack of HTS tapes to the substrate. [Article 22] 22. The method of clause 21, wherein the substrate is substantially rigid and conductive. [Article 23] 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the integration material is electrically conductive when solid. [Article 24] 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the integration material comprises solder. [Article 25] providing a liquid consolidation material in said container at a level at least partially immersing said portion of said superconducting cable, said step comprising: providing said consolidation material in said container at a level below said aperture prior to inserting said superconducting cable; after insertion of the superconducting cable, partially immersing a displacer in the consolidation material and raising the level of the consolidation material to at least partially immerse the portion of the superconducting cable; The methods of clause 15, including: [Clause 26 to 30 intentionally omitted] [Article 31] 1. A method of manufacturing a superconducting magnet, comprising the steps of: providing a conductive substrate shaped into a substantially planar coil having a plurality of turns, the conductive substrate having a groove along its length, the groove facing radially of the coil; translating at least a portion of the conductive substrate out of the plane of the coil to expose at least a portion of the groove; inserting a superconducting material into said exposed portion of said groove; A method comprising: [Article 32] 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the conductive substrate is an open channel. [Article 33] 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the groove faces radially inwardly of the coil. [Article 34] 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the superconducting material comprises a plurality of tapes of high temperature superconducting material. [Article 35] 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the translating step includes translating a portion of the conductive substrate out of the plane of the coil gradually along a length of the conductive substrate to gradually expose a portion of the groove. [Article 36] 32. The method of clause 31, further comprising the step of consolidating said superconducting material to provide a conductive consolidation material in said groove. [Article 37] 37. The method of clause 36, wherein consolidating includes filling exposed portions of the grooves with the consolidating material as a liquid and allowing the liquid to solidify. [Article 38] 38. The method of clause 37, wherein filling includes immersing at least the superconducting material in the exposed portion of the groove with the consolidation material as a liquid. [Article 39] 39. The method of clause 38, wherein immersing includes moving a bath of liquid consolidation material along a length of the conductive substrate to progressively immerse at least the superconducting material in the groove into the consolidation material. [Article 40] 32. The method of clause 31, wherein providing the conductive substrate shaped into a substantially planar coil includes bending the conductive substrate into a substantially planar coil. [Article 41] 1. A method of manufacturing a superconducting magnet, comprising the steps of: providing a conductive substrate shaped into a substantially planar coil having a plurality of turns, the conductive substrate having a groove along its length, the groove facing a radial direction of the coil, and a superconducting material disposed within the groove; translating at least a portion of the conductive substrate out of the plane of the coil to expose at least a portion of the groove; integrating the superconducting material disposed in the exposed portion of the groove with a conductive integration material; A method comprising: [Article 42] 1. A device for manufacturing a superconducting magnet, comprising: a substantially planar coil having a plurality of turns formed from a conductive substrate, the conductive substrate having a groove along its length, the groove facing radially of the coil; a first carriage movable relative to the coil, the first carriage translating at least a portion of the conductive substrate out of the plane of the coil to expose at least a portion of the groove; at least one of a second carriage movable relative to the coil, the second carriage inserting superconducting material into the exposed portion of the groove, and / or a third carriage movable relative to the coil, consolidating superconducting material disposed in the exposed portion of the groove; Including, the device. [Article 43] 43. The device of clause 42, wherein the first carriage is movable about the coil to incrementally translate the length of the conductive substrate out of the plane of the coil. [Article 44] 1. A method of manufacturing a superconducting magnet, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate shaped into a helical coil having a plurality of turns, each turn being larger in a radial direction of said coil than the preceding turn; translating at least a portion of the substrate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the radial direction to make the portion of the substrate accessible for subsequent operations; In the accessible parts of said substrate, the following subsequent operations are carried out: applying a superconducting material to the substrate and / or fixing the superconducting material to the substrate; A method comprising: [Article 45] 45. The method of claim 44, wherein the substrate is conductive. [Article 46] 45. The method of clause 44, wherein the substrate includes an open channel having grooves oriented in the radial direction. [Article 47] 45. The method of claim 44, wherein performing the subsequent operation includes performing the subsequent operation incrementally around the coil. [Article 48] 45. The method of clause 44, wherein applying a superconducting material to the substrate comprises laying a stack of HTS tapes onto or against the substrate. [Article 49] 45. The method of clause 44, wherein securing the superconducting material to the substrate comprises securing the superconducting material to the substrate with a conductive material. [Article 50] 1. A device for manufacturing a superconducting magnet, comprising: a support configured to hold a coil having a plurality of turns formed from a conductive substrate; one or more first carriages movable relative to the support for translating at least a portion of the conductive substrate away from the support to expose at least a portion of a radially inwardly facing surface or a radially outwardly facing surface of the substrate; at least one of a second carriage movable relative to the support, the second carriage applying superconducting material to an exposed radially inward or radially outward surface of the substrate, and / or a third carriage movable relative to the support, consolidating superconducting material disposed on an exposed radially inward or radially outward surface of the substrate; Including, the device.

Claims

1. 1. A method for consolidating a superconducting cable, comprising the steps of: providing a sleeve, said sleeve being a flexible and resilient sleeve having an inner surface conforming to said superconducting cable; passing the superconducting cable through the sleeve; providing said superconducting cable with said integration material as a liquid when said superconducting cable enters said sleeve or before said superconducting cable enters said sleeve; Including, the superconducting cable passes through the sleeve at a velocity such that the consolidated material is substantially solid where the superconducting cable exits the sleeve; The method, wherein the sleeve includes a friction reducing lining on an inner surface.

2. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is connected to an aperture on one side of a liquid bath containing the consolidation material as a liquid, and wherein providing the consolidation material as a liquid to the superconducting cable includes at least partially immersing the superconducting cable in the consolidation material in the liquid bath and passing the superconducting cable through the liquid bath such that the superconducting cable exits the liquid bath through the aperture and into the sleeve.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising bending the superconducting cable as it passes through the sleeve before the consolidation material solidifies.

4. The method of claim 1 including cooling the sleeve.

5. 1. An apparatus for integrating a superconducting cable, comprising: a sleeve that is flexible and resilient to conform to the superconducting cable, the sleeve having a first end and a second end; a liquid integration material supplier disposed at the first end of the sleeve, the liquid integration material supplier configured to supply integration material as a liquid to the superconducting cable; Including, The apparatus, wherein the sleeve includes a friction reducing lining on an inner surface.

6. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a groove in an inner wall of the sleeve, the groove providing a passage for flow of the liquid integrating material from the liquid integrating material supply along the superconducting cable within the sleeve.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the friction reducing lining comprises a fluoropolymer.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the friction reducing lining comprises PTFE.

9. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a movement unit configured to move the superconducting cable relative to the sleeve such that the superconducting cable advances relative to the sleeve in a direction from the first end of the sleeve toward the second end of the sleeve.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 including a cooler configured to cool the sleeve.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the cooler is disposed closer to the second end of the sleeve than to the first end.

12. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, comprising a bending tool disposed between the first end of the sleeve and the second end of the sleeve, the bending tool configured to bend the sleeve and the superconducting cable.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 including a heater configured to heat the sleeve between the first end of the sleeve and the bending tool.

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