Test results and investigation of Tcs degradation in Japanese ITER CS conductor samples

Hemmi, Tsutomu; Nunoya, Yoshihiko; Nabara, Yoshihiro; Yoshikawa, Masatoshi*; Matsui, Kunihiro; Kajitani, Hideki; Hamada, Kazuya; Isono, Takaaki; Takahashi, Yoshikazu; Koizumi, Norikiyo; Nakajima, Hideo; Stepanov, B.*; Bruzzone, P.*

To characterize the performance of the CS conductor, a CS conductor sample was tested in the SULTAN facility at CRPP. As a result of the cyclic test up to 1000 cycles, measured Tcs was in good agreement with the expected Tcs, which is calculated by the characteristics of the NbSn strands and the designed strain. However, continuous degradation of Tcs was observed after 1000 cycles. The degradation of Tcs was around 0.6 K from 1000 cycles to 6000 cycles. On the other hand, the degradation of Tcs by cyclic operation is nearly 0.1 K from 1000 cycles to 10,000 cycles in the CS Insert test at JAEA in 2000. To investigate the causes for the degradation of Tcs, the following items are performed; (1) strain measurement by neutron diffraction, (2) strain measurement by sample cuttings, (3) strand position observation, (4) visual inspection on strands, (5) filament breakage observation, (6) modeling and calculation of the degradation. Detailed results will be presented and discussed.