MODIFICATION OF CENTRAL SOLENOID MODEL COIL TEST FACILITY FOR RAPID TESTING OF CABLE-IN-CONDUIT CONDUCTORS

This document describes proposed design modifications to the Central Solenoid Model Coil (CSMC) Test Facility at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency that will allow rapid test and changeout of central solenoid (CS) conductor samples and more precise and reliable characterization than is presently achievable elsewhere. Typically CS testing at the CSMC Test Facility is followed by testing at the SULTAN facility in Switzerland. The SULTAN facility has very short in-field length and a short length between the high field zone and the joints. This makes it difficult to obtain uniform distribution of current in the cable at low voltage levels, which defines the current sharing temperature. In a working magnet, like the ITER CS, there is a long length of conductor in the highest field, which provides a more uniform current distribution near current sharing. The modified facility will serve as an economical tool for ITER conductor testing. The test item will be a three turn sample, about 15 m long, placed in the background field of the CSMC. This new mode of operation will reduce the time of cooldown, warmup, and installation of the sample into the CSMC facility, which should significantly reduce the testing cost per sample.