Quench Detection and Protection for High-Temperature Superconductor Accelerator Magnets

• Main Author: Maxim Marchevsky
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-08-01
• Series: Instruments
• Subjects: high-temperature superconductors; quench detection; accelerator magnets
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2410-390X/5/3/27

High-temperature superconductors (HTS) are being increasingly used for magnet applications. One of the known challenges of practical conductors made with high-temperature superconductor materials is a slow normal zone propagation velocity resulting from a large superconducting temperature margin in combination with a higher heat capacity compared to conventional low-temperature superconductors (LTS). As a result, traditional voltage-based quench detection schemes may be ineffective for detecting normal zone formation in superconducting accelerator magnet windings. A developing hot spot may reach high temperatures and destroy the conductor before a practically measurable resistive voltage is detected. The present paper discusses various approaches to mitigating this problem, specifically focusing on recently developed non-voltage techniques for quench detection.