Experimental and numerical study on current distribution in parallel co-wound no-insulation coils

TL;DR

This study investigates the non-uniform current distribution in parallel co-wound no-insulation superconducting coils through experiments and modeling, revealing significant non-uniformities and reverse currents during ramping.

Contribution

It combines experimental measurements with a coupled field-circuit model to analyze current distribution and factors influencing non-uniformity in co-wound NI coils.

Findings

Current distribution is highly non-uniform during ramping.

Some tapes carry reverse currents, indicating complex current paths.

Terminal resistance affects the current distribution.

Abstract

No-insulation (NI) coils are known for their high thermal stability and self-protection features due to turn-to-turn contacts. Parallel co-winding is a promising method to reduce the charging delay of NI coils while maintaining thermal stability, demonstrating significant potential for applications in fusion and other large-scale or high-field magnets. The non-uniform current distribution among parallel superconducting tapes in parallel co-wound NI coils may lead to thermal and mechanical stability issues. In this work, we conducted current measurement experiments on small parallel co-wound NI REBCO coils to investigate the non-uniform current distribution and its influencing factors. The parallel tapes in the input and output sections of the test coils were separated and a series of Rogowski coils was used to measure the current in each tape during ramping charging process. We combined a field-circuit coupled model based on the T-A formulation with an equivalent circuit model to calculate the current distribution in co-wound coils. Both the measured and calculated results indicated that the current distribution during ramping was highly non-uniform, with some tapes carrying reverse currents. We calculated the current distribution in co-wound coils with different insulation methods and analyzed the influencing factors of the reverse current. The influence of the terminal resistance on current distribution was also discussed. This work could contribute to a deeper understanding of current distribution behavior in co-wound coils and provide insights for their application in large-scale or high-field magnet systems.