US4268353A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Demountable externally anchored low-stress magnet system and related method
Assignee: United States Department of Energy
•
Filing: 1978-02-23
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Granted: 1981-05-19
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Expires: 1998-02-23
Abstract
Abstract Toroidal field coils are interlaced with other toroidal structures and are operated under supercooled conditions. To facilitate demounting the toroidal field coils, which are supercooled, they are made in the form of connected segments constituting coils of polygonal form. The segments may be rectilinear in form, but some may also be U-shaped or L-shaped. The segments are detachable from one another and are supported in load relieving manner. Power devices are used to displace the segments to facilitate removal of the coils from the aforesaid toroidal structures and to provide for the accommodation of dimensional changes and stresses due to thermal and magnetic conditions. The segments are formed of spaced parallel conductive slabs with the slabs of one segment being interdigitated with the slabs of the adjacent segment. The interdigitated slabs may be soldered together or slidingly engaged. The slabs are shaped to accommodate superconductors and to provide passages for a cooling medium. The slabs are moreover separated by insulator slabs with which they form a coil structure which is jacketed.
Inventors
- 👤 James Powell
- 👤 Shih-Yung Hsieh
- 👤 John R. Lehner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 00:14
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05H; H05H1/00; H05H1/02; H05H1/10; H05H1/12; G; G21; G21B; G21B1/00; G21B1/11; H01; H01F; H01F6/00; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 47
Claim 1
Independent Claim
206 words
Apparatus comprising at least one superconducting coil and means operatively associated with said coil to constitute therewith at least part of a superconductor magnet system, said coil further comprising: (a) at least two coil segments, said segments each further comprising a plurality of parallel conducting elements including end portions in a spaced relation one to the other, said spaced end portions of adjacent segments being interdigitated to provide electrical connections between said conducting elements of said adjacent segments so that said conducting elements form a helix; (b) means for demountably connecting said interdigitated end portions of said adjacent segments to form conducting joints enabling facile assembly and disassembly of said coil segments, whereby installation, replacement, repair and maintenance are facilitated; (c) external means for supporting said coil segments and said joints to prevent stresses in said coil from exceeding the level at which said coil would revert to a state of normal conductivity, said support means and said connecting means being constructed to enable relative motion between said support means and said interdigitated end portions to prevent stresses caused by thermally caused dimensional changes, said support means being attached to the joined coil segments at a predetermined plurality of locations around the perimeter of said coil.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
206 words
Apparatus comprising at least one superconducting coil and means operatively associated with said coil to constitute therewith at least part of a superconductor magnet system, said coil further comprising: (a) at least two coil segments, said segments each further comprising a plurality of parallel conducting elements including end portions in a spaced relation one to the other, said spaced end portions of adjacent segments being interdigitated to provide electrical connections between said conducting elements of said adjacent segments so that said conducting elements form a helix; (b) means for demountably connecting said interdigitated end portions of said adjacent segments to form conducting joints enabling facile assembly and disassembly of said coil segments, whereby installation, replacement, repair and maintenance are facilitated; (c) external means for supporting said coil segments and said joints to prevent stresses in said coil from exceeding the level at which said coil would revert to a state of normal conductivity, said support means and said connecting means being constructed to enable relative motion between said support means and said interdigitated end portions to prevent stresses caused by thermally caused dimensional changes, said support means being attached to the joined coil segments at a predetermined plurality of locations around the perimeter of said coil.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support means is a displaceable support which accommodates said dimension changes and stresses.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support means is a rigid support which supports said segments for displacement relative to each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coil includes a plurality of sides, at least one of said sides being of generally rectilinear form, at least one of said segments also being of generally rectilinear form.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said support means comprises load bearing means coupled to at least one of said segments and operative to support the same and support at least part of the weight thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 comprising a heat insulating means connecting the load bearing means to said coil.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said heat insulating means includes a laminated support supporting at least part of the weight of the coil on said load bearing means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said support means includes means for the relative displacement of at least one of the segments into and cut of engagement with the other of the segments.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said support means includes means for the relative displacement of at least one of the segments into and out of engagement with the other of the segments.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising insulating means between adjacent of the conducting elements in each segment.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein each of the conducting elements includes two elongated slabs in facing relation and cooperatively having proximal and distal faces, and a superconductor extending between said slabs.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the slabs are provided, in the distal faces thereof, with an arrangement of cooling grooves for the passage of a cooling medium.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein each segment includes a casing encircling the plurality of conducting elements thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein adjacent of the segments have contiguous ends and each segment includes a plurality of parallel conducting elements including end portions in spaced relation, the respective end portions of adjacent of the segments being in interdigitated relation, and solder connecting the interdigitated end portions so that the conducting elements are connected in the form of a helix.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 comprising insulating means between adjacent of the conducting elements in each segment.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein each of the conducting elements includes two elongated slabs in facing relation and cooperatively having proximal and distal faces, and a superconductor extending between said slabs.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein the slabs are provided, in the distal faces thereof, with an arrangement of cooling grooves for the passage of a cooling medium.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein each segment includes a casing encircling the plurality of conducting elements thereof.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein the conducting elements have longitudinal edges and gaps are provided between the casing and said edges to accommodate changes of dimension of the conducting elements due to temperature changes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
208 words
A nuclear fusion reactor comprising means for containing plasma, including blanket and shield means in toroidal form, a plurality of superconducting coils radially disposed relative to and engaged with said blanket and shield means, each of said coils further comprising: (a) at least two coil segments, said segments each further comprising a plurality of parallel conducting elements including end portions in a spaced relation one to the other, said spaced end portions of adjacent segments being interdigitated to provide electrical connections between said conducting elements of said adjacent segments so that said conducting elements form a helix; (b) means for demountably connecting said interdigitated end portions of said adjacent segments to form conducting joints enabling facile assembly and disassembly of said coil segments, whereby installation, replacement, repair and maintenance are facilitated; (c) external means for supporting said coil segments and said joints to prevent stresses in said coil from exceeding the level at which said coil would revert to a state of normal conductivity, said support means and said connecting means being constructed to enable relative motion between said support means and said interdigitated end portions, said support means being attached to the joined coil segments at a predetermined plurality of locations around the perimeter of said coil.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
208 words
A nuclear fusion reactor comprising means for containing plasma, including blanket and shield means in toroidal form, a plurality of superconducting coils radially disposed relative to and engaged with said blanket and shield means, each of said coils further comprising: (a) at least two coil segments, said segments each further comprising a plurality of parallel conducting elements including end portions in a spaced relation one to the other, said spaced end portions of adjacent segments being interdigitated to provide electrical connections between said conducting elements of said adjacent segments so that said conducting elements form a helix; (b) means for demountably connecting said interdigitated end portions of said adjacent segments to form conducting joints enabling facile assembly and disassembly of said coil segments, whereby installation, replacement, repair and maintenance are facilitated; (c) external means for supporting said coil segments and said joints to prevent stresses in said coil from exceeding the level at which said coil would revert to a state of normal conductivity, said support means and said connecting means being constructed to enable relative motion between said support means and said interdigitated end portions, said support means being attached to the joined coil segments at a predetermined plurality of locations around the perimeter of said coil.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
50 words
A reactor as claimed in claim 20 wherein the blanket and shield means are of separable sections and each of said coils is in the form of a polygon including a plurality of sides at least one of which is formed at least in part by one of said segments.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
41 words
A reactor as claimed in claim 21 wherein said support means comprises, for each said coil, means to displace said one segment thereof relative to the other segments thereof to facilitate detaching the corresponding coil from said blanket and shield means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
A reactor as claimed in claim 20 wherein one of said segments is U-shaped and another of said segments is rectilinear and is positioned to close said one segment.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
A reactor as claimed in claim 20 wherein at least two of said segments are of rectilinear form.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
A reactor as claimed in claim 20 wherein one of said segments is L-shaped.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
224 words
A superconducting coil adapted for use in a fusion reactor comprising: (a) a plurality of coil segments, said segments each further comprising: (a1) a plurality of parallel conducting elements, said elements further comprising a superconductor and a stabilizer for said superconductor; and, (a2) a plurality of insulators between said elements, the end portions of said conducting elements extending beyond said insulators and being in a spaced relation, one to the other, whereby said spaced end portions interdigitated with, and provide electrical connection between, said conducting elements of adjacent segments, so that said conducting elements form a helix; (b) means for demountably connecting said interdigitated end portions of said adjacent segments to form conducting joints enabling facile assembly and disassembly of said coil segments, whereby installation, replacement, repair, and maintenance are facilitated, said connected segments forming a polygon; and, (c) external means for supporting said coil segments and said joints to prevent stresses in said coil from exceeding the level at which said coil would revert to a state of normal conductivity, said support means and said connecting means being constructed to enable relative motion between said support means and said interdigitated end portions to prevent stresses caused by thermally caused dimensional changes, said support means being attached to said joined coil segments at a predetermined plurality of locations aroung the perimenter of said coil.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
224 words
A superconducting coil adapted for use in a fusion reactor comprising: (a) a plurality of coil segments, said segments each further comprising: (a1) a plurality of parallel conducting elements, said elements further comprising a superconductor and a stabilizer for said superconductor; and, (a2) a plurality of insulators between said elements, the end portions of said conducting elements extending beyond said insulators and being in a spaced relation, one to the other, whereby said spaced end portions interdigitated with, and provide electrical connection between, said conducting elements of adjacent segments, so that said conducting elements form a helix; (b) means for demountably connecting said interdigitated end portions of said adjacent segments to form conducting joints enabling facile assembly and disassembly of said coil segments, whereby installation, replacement, repair, and maintenance are facilitated, said connected segments forming a polygon; and, (c) external means for supporting said coil segments and said joints to prevent stresses in said coil from exceeding the level at which said coil would revert to a state of normal conductivity, said support means and said connecting means being constructed to enable relative motion between said support means and said interdigitated end portions to prevent stresses caused by thermally caused dimensional changes, said support means being attached to said joined coil segments at a predetermined plurality of locations aroung the perimenter of said coil.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
A coil as claimed in claim 26 wherein each conducting element and each insulator is a rectilinear slab.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
A coil as claimed in claim 26 wherein each of said conducting elements includes two parts in face-to-face relation and having proximal and distal faces, and a superconductor between said parts.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
13 words
A coil as claimed in claim 28 wherein said parts are of copper.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
22 words
A coil as claimed in claim 28 wherein the distal faces are provided with grooves for the passage of a cooling medium.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
35 words
A coil as claimed in claim 28 wherein each of said segments includes a casing encompassing the conducting elements and insulators thereof and defining therewith coolant channels extending longitudinally and transversely along the corresponding segment.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
38 words
A coil as claimed in claim 28 wherein each of said conducting elements is oriented so as to minimize eddy current losses due to the polodial magnetic field when said coil is incorporated in a nuclear fusion reactor.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
141 words
A method of improving the fabrication, installation, maintenance and repair of a fusion reactor which includes a toroid structure engaged by a plurality of radially disposed superconducting coils comprising fabricating said coils from a plurality of coil segments, each segment comprising a plurality of parallel conducting elements, the end portions of said conducting elements being in a spaced relation one to the other, whereby said spaced end portions may be interdigitated with, and electrical connection made between, said conducting elements of adjacent segments to form said coil and supporting said coil at a predetermined plurality of locations about its perimeter to prevent stresses in said coil from exceeding the level at which said coil would revert to normal conductivity, and to allow relative motion between said interdigitated end portions and said supports to prevent stresses caused by thermally caused dimensional changes.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
141 words
A method of improving the fabrication, installation, maintenance and repair of a fusion reactor which includes a toroid structure engaged by a plurality of radially disposed superconducting coils comprising fabricating said coils from a plurality of coil segments, each segment comprising a plurality of parallel conducting elements, the end portions of said conducting elements being in a spaced relation one to the other, whereby said spaced end portions may be interdigitated with, and electrical connection made between, said conducting elements of adjacent segments to form said coil and supporting said coil at a predetermined plurality of locations about its perimeter to prevent stresses in said coil from exceeding the level at which said coil would revert to normal conductivity, and to allow relative motion between said interdigitated end portions and said supports to prevent stresses caused by thermally caused dimensional changes.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as claimed in claim 33 wherein the coils are formed with a polygonal shape.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 33 comprising physically connecting the segments and mounting at least some of the segments on displaceable suppots.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 33 comprising fabricating the segments at a station remote from the toroid structure and connecting the segments together on site at the toroid structure.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method as claimed in claim 35 wherein each of the segments are fabricated by arranging a plurality of conductive slabs in spaced parallel relation with insulative slabs therebetween, the conductive slabs being made with a length greater than that of the insulative slabs to form fingers for connection to another segment.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 36 comprising interdigitating the fingers of adjacent segments and soldering the interdigitated fingers together.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in claim 37 comprising forming the conductive slabs of two parts which are arranged in face-to-face relation with proximal and distal faces, and arranging a superconductor between said parts.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 38 comprising forming grooves in the distal faces for the passage of a cooling medium.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 34 comprising disconnecting at least one of said segments and removing the thusly disconnected segment by manipulation of the associated displaceable support.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 34 wherein the said supports are displaced to accommodate distortion due to thermal changes and magnetic fields.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 39 comprising providing a superconductor positioned between and in thermal contact with said proximal faces and extending for substantially the length of said slabs.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3736539A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-05-18 | 1984-11-17 | 1985-05-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-05-18 | 1988-11-17 | 1989-05-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-05-18 | 1992-11-17 | 1993-05-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |