Testing Composite Superconductor for the LRL Baseball Magnet

Abstract

This study presents the evaluation of the superconductor to be used in the large baseball magnet under construction at LRL Livermore [¹]. Sample conductors were purchased from several suppliers and wound into solenoids for testing; each sample was comparable in quality and performance to that required for the baseball magnet. To produce the high magnetic field required for the conductor test, a “split-pair” magnet was built of niobium-tin superconducting tape. Then a solenoid of sample superconductor was located between the halves of the split-pair magnet and energized. In addition the short-sample performance of the conductors was measured, along with their ability to share current between the superconductor and stabilizing copper. Construction techniques and experimental results are presented both for the split-pair magnet and for the baseball sample conductors.

Work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.