Fabrication and Testing of a Bi-2223 Test Coil for High Field NMR Magnets

In 2005, the Committee on Opportunities in High Magnetic Fields issued a challenge to develop a 30 T high-resolution NMR magnet. In response, the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) is investigating all three commercially available high-temperature superconductors including REBCO, Bi-2212 and most recently, a reinforced Bi-2223 conductor supplied by Sumitomo Electric, designated Type HT-NX. Recent investigations of Type HT-NX conductor at the NHMFL and by others suggest that operation at hoop stress above 400 MPa, and total strain above 0.7% may be feasible. We have fabricated a test coil from a single 240 m length of HT-NX. The coil was successfully operated to 19.5 T in a 14 T background field, with a total applied strain of 0.8% and coil current density of 243 A/mm
²
. The coil was cycled 20 times from half the design current to full current without observed degradation.