Race-Track CCT Magnet Winding for HTS Tape Integrity

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing winding technologies for Canted Cosine Theta (CCT) magnets are unable to accommodate High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) tapes due to their rigid and fragile nature, leading to potential damage and loss of superconducting performance when bent beyond their elastic limit.

Innovation Solution

A modified winding design using a 'Race Track' pattern with straight and curved segments for HTS tapes, allowing the tapes to twist between bends, thereby avoiding damage and maintaining superconducting performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If HTS tapes are wound in traditional circular CCT magnet grooves, then the magnet can be constructed, but the tapes will buckle and lose superconducting performance due to their rigidity and fragility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuperconducting performanceVSAvoidwinding process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The winding path is segmented into straight sections and curved sections. The tapes are wound straight in the grooves for most of the path, then twisted 90 degrees at specific locations to navigate curved sections. This segmentation allows the rigid tapes to be wound without buckling while still achieving the required circular magnet geometry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The winding approach transitions from a purely planar circular groove to a three-dimensional path that includes straight sections along the groove and 90-degree twists at intervals. This dimensional change in the winding path accommodates the tapes' rigidity while maintaining the circular magnet structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Strength

If HTS tapes are made rigid to maintain structural integrity, then they can withstand handling, but they cannot be bent beyond their elastic limit without damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidbendability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The winding path is segmented into straight sections and curved sections. The tapes are wound straight in the grooves for most of the path, then twisted 90 degrees at specific locations to navigate curved sections. This segmentation allows the rigid tapes to be wound without buckling while still achieving the required circular magnet geometry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The winding process incorporates dynamic 90-degree twists at regular intervals along the tape length. This dynamic adjustment of the winding direction allows the rigid tapes to adapt to the circular magnet geometry without exceeding their elastic bending limits, maintaining both structural integrity and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If traditional circular groove winding is used, then the magnet former can be simple, but the HTS tapes will buckle and fail

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemagnet former structureVSAvoidtape integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The winding path is segmented into straight sections and curved sections. The tapes are wound straight in the grooves for most of the path, then twisted 90 degrees at specific locations to navigate curved sections. This segmentation allows the rigid tapes to be wound without buckling while still achieving the required circular magnet geometry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The winding approach transitions from a purely planar circular groove to a three-dimensional path that includes straight sections along the groove and 90-degree twists at intervals. This dimensional change in the winding path accommodates the tapes' rigidity while maintaining the circular magnet structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4449455B1An array comprising the winding of conductors in the form of a structure, such as a tape, for any canted cosine theta (CCT) magnet, with any multipole layout
Publication Date: 2025.10.22 KORATZINOS MICHAIL
  • EP4449455B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4449455B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP4449455B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3C

AI summary

An array comprising the winding of conductors in the form of a structure, such as a tape, for any Canted Cosine Theta (CCT) magnet, with any multipole layout, in which the tape trace of the conductor of a CCT magnet in a plane perpendicular to the length of the magnet is a "Race Track" and not a circle as in the conventional CCT case. This Race Track consists of straight and curved segments. It includes straight segments equal in number to twice the order series of the basic multipole, (two for a dipole, four for a quadrupole, six for a sextupole, etc) and an equal number of curved segments, (two for a dipole, four for a quadrupole, six for a sextupole, etc). The advantages of this invention are that in this way it becomes possible to make a CCT magnet with High Temperature Superconductor tapes, any magnet, and therefore, also, a motor and a generator.