Stability criterion and stationary states in a superconducting wire of limited length

In order to point out the practical interest of some theoretical results that we published in a previous paper [Int. J. Eng. Sci. 37 (1999) 717]. we have built a numerical computation of the "optimal criterion", which is a mathematical condition whose realization make certain the unconditional thermal stability of a thin superconducting composite wire of limited length. We apply the theory to two realistic cases of cooling: conductively cooled superconductor (dry superconductor with cold ends) and helium II cooled superconductor. For these two cases, we shall also be interested by energy aspects of the minimum propagating zone used as reference in engineering practical applications. The results are presented in graphs where the superconductivity recovery current and the critical energy are given as a function of characteristic dimensionless groups. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.