The influence of low temperature neutron irradiation on superconducting magnet systems for fusion reactors

Abstract

The components (insulation, stabilization material and the superconductor) of a superconducting coil system for a fusion reactor are exposed to fast neutrons, probably with a dose of about 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">18</sup> n/cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> during the lifetime of a reactor, and with an energy spectrum comparable with the one of a fission reactor. Experimental investigations were made on the influence of low temperature neutron irradiation on the stability of a superconductor and of the superconducting properties of NbTi wires with different initial jc and pre-treatment. The influence on j <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">c</inf> and T <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">c</inf> of Nb <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</inf> Sn was investigated.