A superconducting magnet arrangement comprises a field coil assembly with coil windings that when in operation are electrically superconducting. The field coil assembly is circuited between connection ports for a voltage supply. A switching module switches a sub-section of the field coil assembly's coil windings between its electrical superconducting and electrical resistive states, said sub-section forming a switching coil circuited between the connection ports. In the operational state where both the switching coil and the field coil(s) are superconducting and carry a permanent electrical current, the field coil(s) and the switching coil together generate a stationary magnetic field. According to the invention the switch windings give a significant contribution to the magnetic field. The field coil assembly's coil windings that may be switched between it electrically superconducting and resistive states form the switching coil. That is, the switching coil forms part of the field coil assembly and contributes significantly to the magnetic field generated by the field coil assembly.

A method is provided for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging near metal, including acquiring an image at a first magnetic field from a subject that includes a metal object, acquiring an image at a second magnetic field, and combining the images to provide a corrected image with reduced metal distortion. An MR imaging system for measuring near metal is also provided including a superconducting magnet to provide a magnetic field, a power supply for a current to ramp the magnetic field, a cryocooler in contact with the superconducting magnet, a magnetic field controller programmed to ramp the main magnetic field by adjusting the current generated by the power supply, a radio frequency system for transmitting and receiving signals, and a data acquisition and processing system to receive the MR signals, generate image data sets and combine the image data sets to provide a corrected image having a reduced metal distortion.

A current lead assembly for minimizing heat load to a conduction cooled superconducting magnet during a ramp operation is provided. The current lead assembly includes a vacuum chamber having a through hole to enable a first end of a current lead contact to remain outside the vacuum chamber and a second end of the current lead contact to penetrate within the vacuum chamber. A vacuum boundary wall is located between the vacuum chamber and the current lead contact. At least one superconducting magnet is arranged inside of the vacuum chamber and includes a magnet lead. A second end of the current lead contact is coupled to the magnet lead via an internal lead. A vacuum cap is removably disposed to sealingly encompass therein the first end of the current lead contact during a first state of operation. The first end of the current lead contact is arranged to contact a power supply during a second state of operation, wherein the contact occurs exterior the vacuum chamber.

In a case where a start current value is higher than a target current value, a control unit performs a control to lower a current value from the start current value to the target current value. In addition, in a case where the start current value is equal to or lower than the target current value, the control unit controls to raise the current value from the start current value to the format current value higher than the target current value, and then lower the current value to the target current value. In this manner, regardless of the value of the predetermined current value before the current value is changed, the current value reaches the target current value in a descending manner. As a result, the coil magnetization magnetic field when the target current value is reached can be kept in the same state.

There is provided a superconducting magnet device including a superconducting coil, a vacuum vessel that accommodates the superconducting coil, a current lead that is connected to the superconducting coil and installed in the vacuum vessel, a power supply cable that is disposed outside the vacuum vessel and connected to the current lead, and a heating unit that is disposed apart from the current lead and heats the current lead via the power supply cable.

An active feedback controller for a power supply current of a no-insulation (NI) high-temperature superconductor (HTS) magnet to reduce or eliminate the charging delay of the NI HTS magnet and to linearize the magnet constant.

A novel cooling system for a superconducting electromagnet (740) that is suitable for use in satellite (700), or at least one or more components of the electromagnet (740) is disclosed. A satellite (700) and electromagnetic control system (705) for position control of such a satellite (700) are also disclosed. In one embodiment, the superconducting magnet control system (705) comprises at least one superconducting electromagnet (740) with at least one cooling element and at least one cryocooler (735). The cryocooler (735) is thermally coupled with the cooling element thereby enabling cooling of the superconducting electromagnet (740) or at least one or more components thereof through the cooling element solely by conduction cooling.

A persistent current switch system is presented. One embodiment of the persistent current switch system includes a vacuum chamber having a winding unit and dual cooling paths. The dual cooling paths are configured to circulate a coolant flow. The dual cooling paths are defined by a first cooling path and a second cooling path. The first cooling path includes a solid thermal component disposed in direct contact with the winding unit and the second cooling path includes a cooling tube disposed in direct contact with the winding unit and configured to circulate a coolant therein. The dual cooling paths cool the temperature of the winding unit below the threshold temperature to transition the persistent current switch system from the first mode to the second mode. A method of for cooling a winding unit in a persistent current switch system and a switching system including dual cooling paths are also disclosed.

An electromagnetic pulse source comprises a superconducting magnet comprising a coil of superconducting material. At least a portion of the windings of the coil are separated by an electric conductor. A charging circuit is coupled to the two terminals to drive a current through the coil to charge the superconducting magnet and configured to charge the coil to a condition such that the coil enters a quench condition where current flows from one turn of the coil to another turn of the coil through the electric conductor. The quench event may cause a loss of inductance and resulting electromagnetic radiation. A receiver circuit comprising an inductive element is positioned so that the inductive element is mutually-coupled to the coil and the electromagnetic radiation causes a voltage to be induced across the inductive element.

One example includes a superconducting current control system. The system includes an inductive coupler comprising a load inductor and a control inductor. The inductive coupler can be configured to inductively provide a control current from the control inductor to a superconducting circuit device based on a load current being provided through the load inductor. The system also includes a current control element comprising a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) array comprising a plurality of SQUIDs. The current control element can be coupled to the inductive coupler to control an amplitude of the load current through the load inductor, and thus to control an amplitude of the control current to the superconducting circuit device.