Quench limits in the next generation of magnets

TL;DR

This paper discusses the challenges in protecting next-generation superconducting magnets for particle accelerators, focusing on energy management and quench protection in high-field Nb3Sn magnets.

Contribution

It provides an overview of the specific protection challenges posed by high-current, high-energy density Nb3Sn magnets in modern accelerator projects.

Findings

High current density and energy density pose protection challenges.

Different strategies are needed for isolated short magnets and long magnet chains.

Protection methods must address the unique energy extraction needs.

Abstract

Several projects around the planet aim at building a new generation of superconducting magnets for particle accelerators, relying on Nb3Sn conductor, with peak fields in the range of 10-15 T. In this paper we give an overview of the main challenges for protecting this new generation of magnets. The cases of isolated short magnets, in which the energy can be extracted on an external dump resistor, and chain of long magnets, which have to absorb their stored energy and have to rely on quench heaters, are discussed. We show that this new generation of magnets can pose special challenges, related to both the large current density and to the energy densities.