Minimum quench energies of LHC strands

Within the framework of the LHC project a program has been initiated at CERN to establish the influence of various strand parameters (coating, Cu/Sc ratio, RRR, billet design, cooling) on the minimum quench energy (MQE) of LHC prototype strands operating in superfluid helium at 1.9 K in peak-fields of 9 T. The experimental technique is based on a graphite-paste tip heater. The analysis of the measurements was facilitated by a theoretical model based on the numerical solution of the one-dimensional heat balance equation.