Claims
- 1. A superconducting coil comprising:
- a plurality of superconducting layers with each superconducting layer having at least one superconducting element and each superconducting element producing an operational load;
- an outer support structure disposed outwardly from the plurality of layers; and
- a load transfer system coupled between at least one of the superconducting elements and the outer support structure, the load transfer system comprising:
- a support matrix structure operable to transfer the operational load from the superconducting element directly to the outer support structure;
- a shear release layer disposed, in part, between the superconducting element and the support matrix structure for relieving a shear stress between the superconducting element and the support matrix structure; and
- a compliant layer disposed, in part, between the superconducting element and the support matrix structure configured to relieve a compressive stress on the superconducting element.
- 2. The superconducting coil of claim 1, wherein the support matrix structure comprises a plate disposed between adjacent superconducting layers with at least one rib disposed between adjacent plates and at least one rib disposed between the outer support structure and the adjacent plate.
- 3. The superconducting coil of claim 1, wherein the support matrix structure comprises:
- a plate disposed between at least two adjacent superconducting layers;
- at least one rib disposed between the plate and the outer support structure.
- 4. The superconducting coil of claim 1, wherein the compliant layer is a laminar spring.
- 5. The superconducting coil of claim 1, wherein the shear release layer is formed from at least one layer of mica paper.
- 6. The superconducting coil of claim 1, further comprising a heating system proximate the superconducting elements.
- 7. The superconducting coil of claim 1, wherein the compliant layer is a spring.
- 8. The superconducting coil of claim 1, wherein the shear release layer is formed from at least one layer of mica paper.
- 9. The superconducting coil of claim 1, wherein the compliant layer is further configured to provide a substantially constant preload on the superconducting element during operational loading of the matrix support structure.
- 10. The superconducting coil of claim 1, wherein each superconducting element comprises:
- a plurality of cable elements with each cable element having a plurality of strands of a superconductive material; and
- a binding matrix restraining the cable elements.
- 11. The superconducting coil of claim 10, wherein the superconductive material is a high temperature superconductive material.
- 12. The superconducting coil of claim 10, wherein the binding structure is an impregnated epoxy material.
- 13. A superconducting coil for an electromagnetic device comprising:
- an inner superconducting layer and an outer superconducting layer;
- an outer support structure disposed outwardly from the outer superconducting layer; and
- a load transfer system coupled between the inner superconducting layer and the outer support structure, the load transfer system operable to transfer an operating load from the inner superconducting layer to the outer support structure, the load transfer system comprising:
- a support matrix structure operable to transfer the operational load from the inner superconducting layer to the outer support structure;
- a shear release layer for relieving a shear stress between the inner superconducting layer and the support matrix structure; and
- a compliant layer configured to relieve a compressive stress on the superconducting layer.
- 14. The superconducting coil of claim 13, wherein the support matrix structure comprises a plate disposed between the inner and outer superconducting layers with at least one rib disposed between the plate and the outer support structure.
- 15. The superconducting coil of claim 13, wherein the superconducting electromagnetic device is a superconducting magnet.
- 16. The superconducting coil of claim 13, wherein the compliant layer is further configured to provide a substantially constant preload on the inner superconducting layer during operational loading of the inner superconducting layer.
- 17. A method of stress management in a superconducting coil comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of superconducting layers with each superconducting layer having at least one superconducting element and each superconducting element producing an operational load;
- providing an outer support structure disposed outwardly from the plurality of layers;
- transferring the operational load from at least one of the superconducting elements to the outer support structure without transferring the operational load through another superconducting element; and
- providing a compliant layer configured to relieve a compressive stress on the superconducting element.
- 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of relieving a shear stress in the superconducting elements.
- 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of providing a compliant layer further comprises maintaining a substantially constant preload on the superconducting element during operational loading.
- 20. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of providing a compliant layer further comprises providing a compliant layer configured to allow coolant flow to the superconducting element.
GOVERNMENT CONTRACT
This invention was invented under contract from the Department of Energy, contract number DE-FG03-95ER40924.
US Referenced Citations (4)