Superconducting Magnet Compliant Interface Radial Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Superconducting magnets face instability due to frictional movements at contact interfaces between coils and support members, leading to heat generation and quenching, especially at low temperatures, and existing solutions either increase production costs or risk cracks at bonding interfaces.
Innovation Solution
A superconducting magnet design featuring a compliant interface between the coils and support members, allowing radial movement to minimize friction and thermal disturbances, using materials like metal or leather pads and blocks that accommodate radial expansions without increasing production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the coils are directly bonded to the support structure, then the bonding strength at bonding interfaces makes the support members move together with the coils, but inconsistent movements cause cracks at the bonding interfaces resulting in thermal disturbances to the coils
Solution Approach 1:
A compliant layer is introduced as an intermediary between the coil and support structure. This compliant layer acts as a mediator that accommodates radial movements of the coil while maintaining the bonding strength of the support structure, preventing cracks at the bonding interfaces and avoiding thermal disturbances to the coils.
2Reliability
If more superconducting or normal metal materials are added to the coils to absorb thermal disturbances, then frictional movements can be tolerated, but the production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding more expensive superconducting or normal metal materials to the coils, a compliant layer is introduced as a cost-effective intermediary. This compliant layer absorbs thermal disturbances and accommodates frictional movements without requiring additional expensive materials in the coil structure, thereby maintaining reliability while controlling production costs.
3Reliability
If the coils have more material to absorb thermal disturbances, then frictional movements can be tolerated, but the thermal capacity increases which is problematic at low temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The compliant layer serves as an external intermediary that provides thermal disturbance absorption capacity without increasing the coil's own material quantity. This allows the coil to tolerate frictional movements and absorb thermal disturbances while maintaining its original low thermal capacity, which is critical for operation at low temperatures.
4Strength
If rigid bonding is used between coils and support members, then structural strength is improved, but frictional movements generate heat that can quench the coils
Solution Approach 1:
The compliant layer acts as a heat-absorbing intermediary between the coil and rigid support structure. It accommodates radial movements and absorbs the heat generated by friction, preventing this harmful thermal energy from reaching and quenching the superconducting coil, while the rigid support structure maintains its structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The compliant layer converts the harmful frictional heat into a beneficial thermal buffer. By allowing controlled movement and absorbing the generated heat, the compliant layer protects the coil from quenching, effectively transforming the harmful frictional effect into a protected state for the superconducting material.
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
The compliant interface design enhances magnet stability by eliminating frictional movements and thermal disturbances, maintaining stability while reducing production costs and preventing cracks, thus ensuring consistent operation at low temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
The frictional movements generate heat, which can quench the coils and lead to magnet instability of the superconducting magnets
Implementation Method 2
When the superconducting magnets are energized, the coils produce axial electro-magnetic (EM) forces and radial EM forces
Implementation Method 3
The radial EM forces are generally accounted for by the coils' own hoop stresses, which result in hoop strains and radial expansions in the coils
Implementation Method 4
the coils have very small thermal capacity and a small thermal disturbance can raise the temperatures of the coil to exceed its threshold, causing the coil to quench
Data Source
AI summary
A superconducting magnet is described and includes at least one superconducting coil, at least one support member coupled to the superconducting coil and at least one compliant interface between the superconducting coil and the support member. The superconducting coil defines a radial direction. The superconducting coil supports the superconducting coil along an axial direction that is substantially perpendicular to the radial direction. The compliant interface is configured to move along the radial direction when the superconducting magnet is energized.