Plenary talk — Progress towards superconducting magnets using high temperature superconductors: An integrated approach

Summary form only given. The development of long-length, high current density Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_x wires and (RE)Ba₂Cu₃O_y coated conductors has now advanced such that superconducting magnets for energy applications and high field applications are progressing rapidly. In this plenary talk, progress in the development of Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_x round wires and (RE)Ba₂Cu₃O_y coated conductors, including new breakthroughs in wire processing for high J_c, will be presented. For Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_x round wires, reductions in porosity and better understanding of the role of Bi₂Sr₂CuO_y will be presented. For (RE)Ba₂Cu₃O_y, enhanced flux pinning to manage the anisotropy and engineering a conductor for a particular field and temperature application, will be discussed. Furthermore, high current density in long-length conductors is only a necessary-but-not-sufficient condition for magnet success; a number of other issues must be addressed self-consistently for successful magnets and applications to emerge. For both Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_x and (RE)Ba₂Cu₃O_y, the primary challenges include quench detection and protection and turn-to-turn insulation. Here, recent advances in fiber optic based quench detection, and a new titania-based insulation system which leads to increased magnet current density and accelerated quench propagation, will be summarized. For Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_x wire applications, issues related to magnet heat treatment and electromechanical behavior are also limiting factors. New heat treatment options and stronger sheath materials will be presented. Furthermore, the critical interplay between these issues will be highlighted, thereby providing a path forward for the advancement of magnet systems. Lastly, the importance of interactions between experiment and modeling will be discussed.