Test results for HD1, a 16 tesla Nb/sub 3/Sn dipole magnet

Abstract

The Superconducting Magnet Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has been developing the technology for using brittle superconductor in high-field accelerator magnets. HD1, the latest in a series of magnets, contains two, double-layer Nb/sub 3/Sn flat racetrack coils. This single-bore dipole configuration, using the highest performance conductor available, was designed and assembled for a 16 tesla conductor/structure/pre-stress proof-of-principle. With the combination of brittle conductor and high Lorentz stress, considerable care was taken to predict the magnet's mechanical responses to pre-stress, cool-down, and excitation. Subsequent cold testing satisfied expectations: Training started at 13.6 T, 83% of "short-sample", achieved 90% in 10 quenches, and reached its peak bore field (16 T) after 19 quenches. The average plateau,/spl sim/92% of "short-sample", appeared to be limited by "stick-slip" conductor motions, consistent with the 16.2 T conductor "lift-off" pre-stress that was chosen for this first test. Some lessons learned and some implications for future conductor and magnet technology development are presented and discussed.