Superconducting Coil Cooling Channels for Quench Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing superconducting electromagnet devices require a large amount of refrigerant to prevent quench during magnetization and demagnetization of the superconducting coil, which is inefficient.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates a spool with annular groove portions and a cover portion forming annular flow paths for refrigerant circulation, connected by communication paths to efficiently cool the superconducting coil, reducing the refrigerant usage while maintaining effective cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large amount of refrigerant is used to cool the superconducting coil, then quench occurrence is suppressed, but refrigerant usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent flow paths, each containing grooves at different positions (first groove, second groove, third groove) that can be independently controlled. This allows selective cooling of different coil regions without requiring a large amount of refrigerant throughout the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the superconducting coil receive cooling based on their specific heat generation characteristics. The first flow path cools the region with highest heat generation, while the second and third flow paths cool other regions as needed. This localized cooling approach suppresses quench effectively while minimizing overall refrigerant usage.
2Reliability
If refrigerant circulation is increased to cool heat generation areas, then quench is suppressed, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple flow paths are merged into a single integrated cooling structure where the first, second, and third flow paths all pass through the same spool body. This unified design reduces overall system complexity compared to having completely separate cooling systems for each region.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is designed to dynamically direct refrigerant flow to different regions based on heat generation patterns. During magnetization, the first flow path is activated for the region with highest heat generation, while during demagnetization, other flow paths can be activated as needed, providing adaptive cooling control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively suppresses quench occurrences during magnetization and demagnetization by promptly replenishing refrigerant to the heat generation areas, reducing the overall refrigerant usage while maintaining efficient cooling performance.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerator (16) that cools the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation flow path
Implementation Method 2
the cover portion and the plurality of annular groove portions form a plurality of annular flow paths for refrigerant to cool the superconducting coil
Data Source
AI summary
A spool has a cylindrical outer shape extending in an axial direction intersecting an upward/downward direction, the spool having an outer circumferential surface in which a plurality of annular groove portions extending in a circumferential direction are formed with a space being interposed between the plurality of annular groove portions in the axial direction, a superconducting coil being wound and accommodated inside each of the plurality of annular groove portions. A cover portion is attached to the spool so as to cover each of the plurality of annular groove portions, the cover portion and the plurality of annular groove portions forming a plurality of annular flow paths for refrigerant to cool the superconducting coil. One or more communication paths extend in parallel with the axial direction to communicate adjacent annular flow paths of the plurality of annular flow paths with each other.