Public Abstract

DE-SC0018125: High-temperature superconducting cables for compact fusion reactors

Award Status: Inactive

Institution: Advanced Conductor Technologies LLC, Boulder, CO
UEI: CLNQLMBDRLH3
DUNS: 969353734

Most Recent Award Date: 08/30/2023
Number of Support Periods: 3
PM: King, Joshua

Current Budget Period: 08/27/2019 - 08/19/2024
Current Project Period: 08/27/2018 - 08/19/2024
PI: van der Laan, Danko

Supplement Budget Period: N/A

Public Abstract

High-temperature superconducting cables for compact fusion reactors—Advanced Conductor Technologies LLC, 3082 Sterling Circle Unit B, Boulder, CO 80301-2385 Danko van der Laan, Principal Investigator, danko@advancedconductor.com Danko van der Laan, Business Official, danko@advancedconductor.com Amount: $1,000,000 The feasibility of fusion as a practical energy source needs to be improved significantly by removing some of the restrictions that low-temperature superconductors put on the fusion magnet systems. One method to simplify the magnet system is by using high-temperature superconductors that allow for more compact magnet systems with higher performance and much larger temperature margins. The compact, high-field magnet systems require highcurrent, flexible cables wound from high-temperature superconductors that are highly transposed to enable low-loss field ramping and safer magnet operation. There are currently no highly transposed, flexible magnet cables that would enable compact, high-field fusion machines. This proposal seeks to develop low-loss, flexible, high-current magnet cables wound from hightemperature superconductors, allowing development of compact, high-field fusion magnets. During Phase I, we’ve demonstrated the clear feasibility of developing highly transposed multi strand cables wound from CORC® wires that would carry 50 – 100 kA in a field of 20 T. We’ve demonstrated the ability to operate the cable without any significant degradation due to mechanical stresses, even after 100,000 stress cycles, and during bending to 1 meter diameter. During Phase II we will manufacture full-size magnet cables for compact fusion magnets and demonstrate their performance at 80 kA in a 10.8 T background field. If successful, the program will result in high-quality cables for compact fusion magnets that are highly transposed to allow low-loss field ramping, safe operation even during magnet quench, with no performance degradation. These cables would enable a rapid development of compact fusion magnets. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits Reliable, low-loss, flexible high-temperature superconducting magnet cables will enable compact fusion magnets that operate at high fields. These cables will directly benefit other applications, such as high-field scientific and detector magnets.

High-temperature superconducting cables for compact fusion reactors—Advanced Conductor Technologies LLC, 3082 Sterling Circle Unit B, Boulder, CO 80301-2385

Danko van der Laan, Principal Investigator, danko@advancedconductor.com

Danko van der Laan, Business Official, danko@advancedconductor.com

Amount: $1,000,000

The feasibility of fusion as a practical energy source needs to be improved significantly by removing some of the restrictions that low-temperature superconductors put on the fusion magnet systems. One method to simplify the magnet system is by using high-temperature superconductors that allow for more compact magnet systems with higher performance and much larger temperature margins. The compact, high-field magnet systems require highcurrent, flexible cables wound from high-temperature superconductors that are highly transposed to enable low-loss field ramping and safer magnet operation. There are currently no highly transposed, flexible magnet cables that would enable compact, high-field fusion machines. This proposal seeks to develop low-loss, flexible, high-current magnet cables wound from hightemperature superconductors, allowing development of compact, high-field fusion magnets. During Phase I, we’ve demonstrated the clear feasibility of developing highly transposed multi strand cables wound from CORC® wires that would carry 50 – 100 kA in a field of 20 T. We’ve demonstrated the ability to operate the cable without any significant degradation due to mechanical stresses, even after 100,000 stress cycles, and during bending to 1 meter diameter. During Phase II we will manufacture full-size magnet cables for compact fusion magnets and demonstrate their performance at 80 kA in a 10.8 T background field. If successful, the program will result in high-quality cables for compact fusion magnets that are highly transposed to allow low-loss field ramping, safe operation even during magnet quench, with no performance degradation. These cables would enable a rapid development of compact fusion magnets.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits

Reliable, low-loss, flexible high-temperature superconducting magnet cables will enable compact fusion magnets that operate at high fields. These cables will directly benefit other applications, such as high-field scientific and detector magnets.