Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage for Pulsed Power Magnet Applications

As part of the exploration of energy efficient and versatile power sources for future pulsed field magnets of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory-Pulsed Field Facility (NHMFL-PFF) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), the feasibility of superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) for pulsed-field magnets and other pulsed power loads is examined. Basic SMES parameters needed to power one of the coil groups of the large 100 T magnet were determined. A circuit topology for the power transfer between the SMES and the magnet was devised, and the basic performance of the topology was simulated to reproduce the pulse shape currently used in the 100 T magnet. The Finite element analysis (FEA) method was used to calculate the magnetic field distribution of several preferred coil configurations for effective SMES design. Magnetic field distribution and the field dependent critical current density of commercial high temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes were used to understand the conductor/cable requirements for the SMES.