Modeling High-Temperature Superconducting Tapes by Means of Edge Finite Elements

TLDR

The paper introduces a 2D numerical model for AC loss computation in high‑temperature superconductors using edge finite elements. The model employs curl‑conforming edge finite elements that enforce tangential magnetic field continuity, eliminating the need to impose zero divergence, and is implemented in COMSOL with the two magnetic field components as state variables. The model was validated by computing AC losses of YBCO coated conductor tapes in two practically relevant scenarios that are inaccessible to analytical approaches.

Abstract

In this paper we present a new 2D numerical model for AC loss computation in high-temperature superconductors, based on the use of edge finite elements. These elements are curl conforming by construction and involve the continuity of the tangential component of the magnetic field between adjacent elements. In this way they do not require the imposition of the zero divergence of the magnetic field at each time step, which, with standard nodal elements, increases the null space of the matrix and the risks of divergence of the algorithm. The model, implemented in the software package COMSOL, uses the two magnetic field components as state variables. It has been tested for computing the losses of YBCO coated conductor tapes in two cases of practical interest, which cannot be investigated by analytical models.