Test results of 60-kA HTS current lead for fusion application

Isono, Takaaki; Kawano, Katsumi; Hamada, Kazuya; Matsui, Kunihiro; Nunoya, Yoshihiko; Hara, Eiji*; Kato, Takashi; Ando, Toshinari*; Okuno, Kiyoshi; Bono, Takaaki*; Tomioka, Akira*; Sanuki, Yasutaka*; Sakaki, Kizen*; Konno, Masayuki*; Uede, Toshio*

A 60-kA high-temperature-superconductor (HTS) current lead has been fabricated and tested for aiming at the application to a fusion magnet system, providing a low heat leak current lead. The design of HTS current leads is optimized not only to reduce the heat leak but also to perform safe operation even in fault conditions. The HTS current lead consists of a forced flow cooled copper part and a conduction cooled HTS part. The HTS part is composed of 288 Ag-10at.%Au sheathed Bi-2223 tapes and they are cylindrically arrayed on a stainless steel tube. The diameter and the length of the HTS part are 146 mm and 300 mm, respectively. Operation of a 60 kA current, which is the world record, was successfully achieved at coolant of 20 K, 3.2 g/s for the copper part, and a low heat leak of 5.5 W at 4.2 K was demonstrated. This result shows that the electric power of a refrigerator to cool the current lead can be reduced by 1/3 of that in a conventional current lead. In conclusion, technology of a large HTS current lead for fusion application is established.