PPPL-5242

Modeling of Imperfect Nb3Sn Superconducting Wires
 under Transverse Loading

Authors:  Luc D’Hauthuille and Yuhu Zhai

Abstract:  High field superconducting magnets play a very important role in many large-scale physics experiments, particularly particle colliders and fusion confinement devices such as LHC and ITER. The two most common superconductors used in these applications are NbTi and Nb3Sn.  Nb3Sn wires are favored because of their significantly higher Jc (critical current density) for higher magnetic field applications. The main disadvantage of Nb3Sn is that the superconducting performance of the wire is highly strain-sensitive and it is very brittle. This strain-sensitivity may be strongly influenced by cracked filaments. Cracks are induced by large stress concentrators that can be traced to the presence of voids in the wire.
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Presented at:  22nd Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (TOFE), Philadelphia, PA, August 2016
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Download PPPL-5242 (pdf 1.8 MB 4 pp)
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