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Fast quench detection is a key requirement for the successful implementation of superconducting magnet technology. In high temperature superconductor magnets, this issue is especially challenging due to the low quench propagation velocity, and presently represents one of the main factors limiting their application. A new detection technique based on stray-capacitance monitoring is proposed. The capacitance between electrically-insulated magnet elements, such as magnet structure and end parts, is utilized as an indication of local heat deposition in the conductor. In fact, the relative permittivity of helium drops when it changes from the liquid to the gaseous phase. Thus, when heating occurs, part of the helium impregnating the insulation layers boils off, and the monitored stray-capacitance decreases. The proposed technique is successfully demonstrated on three small-scale Bi-2212 magnets manufactured at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Results from the detection of thermal runaways and spot-heater induced quenches are reported and discussed. Advantages and limitations of the stray-capacitance method with respect to conventional quench detection methods are assessed.

The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and U.S. LHC Accelerator Research Program (LARP) are jointly developing Nb-3Sn quadrupole magnets to be installed in the LHC for its upgrade to higher luminosity. These magnets' quench protection system will include a combination of quench heaters attached to the coil surfaces and coupling-loss-induced quench (CLIQ) units electrically connected to the magnets. Different protection elements have been characterized separately and simultaneously by implementing them on two 1.2-m-long model quadrupole magnets, tested at Fermi National Acceleration Laboratory and CERN, and one 4-m-long mirror magnet tested at Brookhaven Nation Laboratory. After analyzing the test data, their performances have been positively evaluated. Furthermore, the electrothermal transients occurring after a quench have been simulated with the LEDET software and the results are compared to experimental results. The preferred quench protection system configuration relies both on heaters and CLIQ. This solution is based on electrically robust components, achieves an effective reduction of the coils hot spot temperature after a quench, and offers increased redundancy against component failures.

With the first test of LQS03, the long quadrupole (LQ) R&D by LARP (the US LHC Accelerator Research Program, a collaboration of BNL, FNAL, LBNL, and SLAC) is approaching conclusion. LQS03 is the third 3.7-m-long quadrupole, with 90 mm aperture, using a full new set of Nb3Sn coils. The LQS03 coils were made using 108/127 RRP strand (with 108 Nb3Sn subelements) produced by Oxford Superconducting Technology, whereas both previous models used 54/61 RRP strand (with 54 larger Nb3Sn subelements). In this paper, LQS03 test results are presented and discussed. The test results are also compared with the performances of the previous models. Observations are made for the future use of Nb3Sn in accelerator magnets. © 2002-2011 IEEE.

With the first test of LQS03, the long quadrupole (LQ) R&D by LARP (the US LHC Accelerator Research Program, a collaboration of BNL, FNAL, LBNL, and SLAC) is approaching conclusion. LQS03 is the third 3.7-m-long quadrupole, with 90 mm aperture, using a full new set of Nb3Sn coils. The LQS03 coils were made using 108/127 RRP strand (with 108 Nb3Sn subelements) produced by Oxford Superconducting Technology, whereas both previous models used 54/61 RRP strand (with 54 larger Nb3Sn subelements). In this paper, LQS03 test results are presented and discussed. The test results are also compared with the performances of the previous models. Observations are made for the future use of Nb3Sn in accelerator magnets. © 2002-2011 IEEE.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) is developing Wind-and-React (W&R) Bi2sr2cacu2o8+δ (Bi-2212) accelerator magnet technology for insert coils, to surpass the intrinsic limitations of Nb-based magnets, and eventually develop hybrid systems that can approach 20 T dipole fields. The Bi-2212 technology is being developed in close collaboration with industry, and has been partly supported by the US Very High Field Superconducting Magnet Collaboration (VHFSMC). Steady improvements were made over the last several years, with coil HTS-SC08 reaching 2636 A, or about 85% of its witness sample critical current (Ic). Though this is still a factor 3 to 4 too low to be competitive with Nb-based materials, it is expected that the required Ic can be achieved through further conductor optimizations. Recent developments include the commissioning of infrastructure for the reaction of coils at LBNL. Earlier coils were fabricated and tested at LBNL, but were reacted at the wire manufacturer. We describe in detail the furnace calibrations and heat treatment optimizations that enable coil reactions at temperatures approaching 890 °C with a homogeneity of ± 1 °C in a pure oxygen flow. We reacted two new coils at LBNL, and tested the performance of coil HTS-SC10 at 4.2 K in self-field using a superconducting transformer system. We find that its performance is consistent with witness samples, and comparable to coil HTS-SC08, which is an identical coil that was reacted at Oxford Instruments Superconductor Technology (OST), thereby validating the in-house reaction process.

The upgrade of the large hadron collider to achieve higher luminosity requires the installation of twenty-four 150 mm aperture, 12 T, Nb$_3$Sn quadrupole magnets close to the two interaction regions at ATLAS and CMS. The protection of these high-field magnets after a quench is particularly challenging due to the high stored energy density, which calls for a fast, effective, and reliable protection system. Three design options for the quench protection system of the inner triplet circuit are analyzed, including quench heaters attached to the coil's outer and inner layer, Coupling-Loss Induced Quench (CLIQ), and combinations of those. The discharge of the magnet circuit and the electromagnetic and thermal transients occurring in the coils are simulated by means of the TALES and LEDET programs. The sensitivity to strand parameters and the effects of several failure cases on the coil's hot-spot temperature and peak voltages to ground are assessed. A protection system based only on quench heaters attached to the outer layer can barely maintain the hot-spot temperature below the target limit and cannot guarantee the coil protection under failure scenarios. On the contrary, systems including either inner quench heaters or CLIQ are adequate to protect the coil under all realistic operation and failure scenarios. In particular, the option including outer quench heaters and CLIQ achieves lowest hot-spot temperatures, and highest redundancy and robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]