The effects of superconductor-stabilizer interfacial resistance on quench of current-carrying coated conductor

TL;DR

This paper numerically investigates how increased interfacial resistance between superconductor and stabilizer affects normal zone propagation in coated conductors, revealing impacts on speed, temperature, and stability margins that influence quench protection.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the effects of contact resistance on normal zone dynamics, highlighting potential benefits for quench protection in coated conductors.

Findings

Normal zone propagation speed increases with contact resistance

Maximum temperature inside the normal zone decreases with higher contact resistance

Stability margins shrink as contact resistance increases

Abstract

We present the results of numerical analysis of a model of normal zone propagation in coated conductors. The main emphasis is on the effects of increased contact resistance between the superconducting film and the stabilizer on the speed of normal zone propagation, the maximum temperature rise inside the normal zone, and the stability margins. We show that with increasing contact resistance the speed of normal zone propagation increases, the maximum temperature inside the normal zone decreases, and stability margins shrink. This may have an overall beneficial effect on quench protection quality of coated conductors. We also briefly discuss the propagation of solitons and development of the temperature modulation along the wire.