• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.49-52
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• 2014

REBCO coated conductor (CC) tapes with superior mechanical and electromechanical properties are preferable in applications such as superconducting coils and magnets. The CC tapes should withstand factors that can affect their performance during fabrication and operation of its applications. In coil applications, CC tapes experience different mechanical constraints such as tensile or compressive stresses. Recently, the critical current ($I_c$) degradation of CC tapes used in coil applications due to delamination were already reported. Thermal cycling, coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch among constituent layers, screening current, etc. can induce excessive transverse tensile stresses that might lead to the degradation of $I_c$ in the CC tapes. Also, CC tapes might be subjected to very high magnetic fields that induce strong Lorentz force which possibly affects its performance in coil applications. Hence, investigation on the delamination mechanism of the CC tapes is very important in coiling, cooling, operation and design of prospect applications. In this study, the electromechanical properties of REBCO CC tapes fabricated by reactive co-evaporation by deposition and reaction (RCE-DR) under transversely applied loading were investigated. Delamination strength of the CC tape was determined using the anvil test. The $I_c$ degraded earlier under transverse tensile stress as compared to that under compressive one.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.41-44
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• 2015

Critical current of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) coil is influenced by its own self magnetic field. Direction and density distribution of the magnetic field around the coil are fixed after the shape of the coil is decided. If the entire part of the HTS tape has homogeneous $I_c$ distribution characteristic, quench would be initiated in fixed location on the coil. However, the actual HTS tape has inhomogeneous $I_c$ distribution along the length. If the $I_c$ distribution of the HTS tape is known, we can expect the spot within the HTS coil that has the highest probability to initiate the quench. In this paper, $I_c$ distribution within the HTS coil under self-field effect is simulated by MATLAB. In the simulation procedure, $I_c$ distribution of the entire part of the HTS tape is assume d to follow Gaussian-distribution by central limit theorem. The HTS coil model is divided into several segments, and the critical current of each segment is calculated based on the-generalized Kim model. Single pancake model is simulated and self-field of HTS coil is calculated by Biot-Savart's law. As a result of simulation, quench-initiating spot in the actual HTS coil can be predicted statistically. And that statistical analysis can help detect or protect the quench of the HTS coil.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.57-61
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• 2022

One of the major applications of REBCO coated conductor (CC) tapes is in superconducting magnets or coils that are designed for high magnet fields. For such applications, the CC tapes were exposed to a high level of stresses which includes uniaxial tensile or transverse compressive stresses resulting from a large magnetic field. Thus, CC tapes should endure such mechanical load or deformation that can influence their electromechanical performance during manufacturing, cool-down, and operation. It has been reported that the main cause of critical current (I_c) degradation in CC tapes utilized in coil windings for superconducting magnets was the delamination due to transversely applied stresses. In most high-magnetic-field applications, the operating limits of the CC tapes will likely be imposed by the electromechanical properties together with its I_c dependence on temperature and magnetic field. In this study, we examined the influence of the transverse compressive stress on the I_c degradation behaviors in various commercially available CC tapes which is important for magnet design Four differently processed REBCO CC tapes were adopted to examine their I_c degradation behaviors under transverse compression using an anvil test method and a newly developed instantaneous I_c measurement system. As a result, all REBCO CC tapes adopted showed robustness against transverse compressive stresses for REBCO coils, notably at transverse compressive stresses until 250 MPa. When the applied stress further increased, different Ic degradation behaviors were observed depending on the sample. Among them, the one that was fabricated by the IBAD/MOCVD process showed the highest compressive stress tolerance.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.13-17
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• 2015

In superconducting coil applications particularly in wet wound coils, coated conductor (CC) tapes are subjected to different type of stresses. These include hoop stress acting along the length of the CC tape and the Lorentz force acting perpendicular to the CC tape's surface. Since the latter is commonly associated with delamination problem of multi-layered CC tapes, more understanding and attention on the delamination phenomena induced in the case of coil applications are needed. Difference on the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of each constituent layer of the CC tape, the bobbin, and the impregnating materials is the main causes of delamination in CC tapes when subjected to thermal cycling. The CC tape might also experience cyclic loading due to the energizing scheme (on - off) during operation. In the design of degradation-free superconducting coils, therefore, characterization of the delamination behaviors including mechanism and strength in REBCO CC tapes becomes critical. In this study, transverse tensile tests were conducted under different loading conditions using different size of upper anvils on the GdBCO CC tapes. The mechanical and electromechanical delamination strength behaviors of the CC tapes under transverse tensile loading were examined and a two-parameter Weibull distribution analysis was conducted in statistical aspects. As a result, the CC tape showed similar range of mechanical delamination strength regardless of cross-head speed adopted. On the other hand, cyclic loading might have affected the CC tape in both upper anvil sizes adopted.