Braided superconductor

Claim 2

Apparatus for transporting pulsed currents producing strong variable magnetic fields, comprising means consisting of a fine crisscrossing network of braided superconductors imbedded in a normal resistance matrix that is arranged to define a foraminous, substantially fixed cross section ribbon having wires that can be pulsed to effect the production of said variable magnetic fields along said ribbon, and cryogenic cooling means for immersing said forminous ribbon in a cryogenic cooling fluid for maintaining said superconductors in their superconducting state during said pulsing.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 in which said matrix is a thin cross section normal resistance means forming a heat sink.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 1 in which said braiding decouples said wires by transposition.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 1 in which said braiding stabilizes said wires by straining and interlacing them.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 1 in which said superconductors are twisted filaments selected from the group consisting of the Nb3Sn filaments up to only 0.0001 inches in diameter, and NbTi filaments up to only 0.0003 inches in diameter.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 1 in which said braided wires form foramina for providing a fine network of cryogenic cooling passages.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 1 having normal resistance means interlaced with said braided wires for providing a flexible strengthening means for said ribbon.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 7 in which said normal resistance means provides shorting means for said wires.

Claim 10

THe invention of claim 1 in which said braided wires are impregnated with a matrix material to provide mechanical support and stiffening means for said ribbon.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 1 in which said ribbon is arranged to form a dipole magnet according to a computer program.

Claim 12

Magnet for transporting high-energy charged particles in an evacuated container along an axis, comprising a ribbon of braided wires arranged around the outside of said container for selectively producing pulsed magnetic fields in said container for transporting said particles along the axis of said container, and means for cooling said ribbon by exposing the same to a cooling fluid, whereby the same can be efficiently pulsed selectively to produce said pulsed magnetic fields in said container for transporting said charged particles to high energies along said axis in accordance with the energy of said charged particles.

Claim 13

Magnet for transporting high-energy charged particles in an evacuated container along an axis, comprising a ribbon of braided wires arranged around the outside of said container for selectively producing pulsed magnetic fields in said container for transporting said particles along the axis of said container, and means for cooling said ribbon by exposing the same to a cooling fluid, whereby the same can be efficiently pulsed selectively to produce said pulsed magnetic fields in said container for transporting said charged particles to high energies along said axis in accordance with the energy of said charged particles.

Claim 14

Apparatus forming a magnetic field within a longitudinally extending cylindrical aperture, comprising means consisting of a system of longitudinally extending, side-by-side, annular, conductive coils external to, and forming said aperture, said coils being ribbons of braided superconductors having a stabilizing matrix, whereby said coils may be efficiently cooled for pulsing them to produce said magnetic field.

Claim 15

Apparatus forming a magnetic field within a longitudinally extending cylindrical aperture, comprising means consisting of a system of longitudinally extending, side-by-side, annular, conductive coils external to, and forming said aperture, said coils being ribbons of braided superconductors having a stabilizing matrix, whereby said coils may be efficiently cooled for pulsing them to produce said magnetic field.

Claim 16

In a multipole magnet for generating a strong 2n pole magnetic field within current sheets defining a cylindrical aperture for transporting charged particles and having external magnetic field cancelling means that enhances the strength of the field in said aperture, the improvement, comprising current sheets having braided superconductors, and cryogenic means for cooling said superconductors for efficiently providing for the pulsing of said magnet at high fields, thereby to provide for the transport of said particles at high field.

Claim 17

In a multipole magnet for generating a strong 2n pole magnetic field within current sheets defining a cylindrical aperture for transporting charged particles and having external magnetic field cancelling means that enhances the strength of the field in said aperture, the improvement, comprising current sheets having braided superconductors, and cryogenic means for cooling said superconductors for efficiently providing for the pulsing of said magnet at high fields, thereby to provide for the transport of said particles at high field.

Claim 18

The magnet of claim 13 in which said braided superconductors, comprise filaments imbedded in a matrix having a conductivity lower than said filaments, and an insulator around said matrix that provides for the electrical and mechanical stability of said braided superconductors.

Claim 19

The invention of claim 14 in which said insulator is a thermosetting polymer.

Claim 20

The invention of claim 13 wherein said current sheets form foramina for circulating a cryogenic cooling fluid therethrough, whereby said magnet can be pulsed for accelerating said charged particles.

Claim 21

The invention of claim 16 in which said braided superconductors have shorting means interposed in at least a portion of said foramina for providing for said pulsing of said magnet and the maintenance of the same against mechanical, thermal, and electrical instabilities.

Claim 22

The invention of claim 16 in which said braided superconductors have a low conductivity matrix.

Claim 23

The invention of claim 13 having a normal resistance heat sink material around said superconductors selected from the group consisting of lead, cadium indium, copper, aluminum, tin, titanium, niobium, vanadium, hafnium, magnesium, iron, nickel, cobalt, zirconium, beryllium, and normal resistance alloys.

Claim 24

The invention of claims 13 having parallel strands of said superconductors in sets that are braided into a ribbon having layers that are relatively interleaved by transposition from the top to the bottom of said ribbon.

Claim 25

The invention of claims 13, in which said braided superconductors form current sheets having windings and shims that are selectively interleaved in accordance with the current sheet function I Io cos n theta .