Coupling currents losses bench mark test of ITER subsize conductor

To solve the discrepancies frequently observed between coupling currents losses results measured on similar samples at different labs, a bench merit test action has been carried out among five laboratories of the four partners of the ITER project. The specimen for the bench mark action is a short sections of Nb/sub 3/Sn cable-in-conduit conductor with the same layout as the last but one stage of the ITER conductor. The five labs measure the AC losses by boil-off calorimetry. The test programme, selected according to the capabilities of the test equipment, allows a direct comparison of the test results over a broad range of field pulses.