CHARGING AND FIELD SUPPLEMENT CIRCUIT FOR SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNETS BASED ON PULSED CURRENT

Abstract

A charging and field supplement circuit for superconducting magnets based on a pulsed current includes a capacitor charging circuit, an energy-storage capacitor, a capacitor discharging circuit, a superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit, and a superconducting persistent-current switch. Two output ends of the capacitor charging circuit are respectively connected to two ends of the energy-storage capacitor. Two input ends of the capacitor discharging circuit are respectively connected to the two ends of the energy-storage capacitor. Two output ends of the capacitor discharging circuit are respectively connected to two input ends of the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit. Two output ends of the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit are respectively connected to two input ends of the superconducting persistent-current switch. Two output ends of the superconducting persistent-current switch are configured to charge and magnetize a target superconducting magnet.

Claims

1. A charging and field supplement circuit for superconducting magnets, comprising: a capacitor charging circuit; an energy-storage capacitor; a capacitor discharging circuit; a superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit; and a superconducting persistent-current switch; wherein a first output end of the capacitor charging circuit is connected to a first end of the energy-storage capacitor, and a second output end of the capacitor charging circuit is connected to a second end of the energy-storage capacitor; a first input end of the capacitor discharging circuit is connected to the first end of the energy-storage capacitor, and a second input end of the capacitor discharging circuit is connected to the second end of the energy-storage capacitor; a first output end of the capacitor discharging circuit is connected to a first input end of the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit, and a second output end of the capacitor discharging circuit is connected to a second input end of the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit; a first output end of the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit is connected to a first input end of the superconducting persistent-current switch, and a second output end of the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit is connected to a second input end of the superconducting persistent-current switch; and two output ends of the superconducting persistent-current switch are configured to charge and magnetize a target superconducting magnet; and a lower temperature boundary of the charging and field supplement circuit is located between the energy-storage capacitor and the capacitor charging circuit, in the capacitor discharging circuit, or in the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit.

2. The charging and field supplement circuit of claim 1, wherein the capacitor charging circuit comprises a charging power supply, a resistor R.sub.1, a resistor R.sub.2 and a charging switch; and a positive electrode of the charging power supply is connected to the charging switch through the resistor R.sub.1; a negative electrode of the charging power supply is connected to the resistor R.sub.2; and the charging switch is connected to the first end of the energy-storage capacitor, and the resistor R.sub.2 is connected to the second end of the energy-storage capacitor.

3. The charging and field supplement circuit of claim 1, wherein the capacitor discharging circuit comprises a resistor R.sub.3, a resistor R.sub.4, a discharging switch, a resistor R.sub.c11, and a resistor R.sub.c12; the resistor R.sub.3, the discharging switch and the resistor R.sub.c11 are connected in series between the capacitor charging circuit and the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit; and the resistor R.sub.4 and the resistor R.sub.c12 are connected in series between the capacitor charging circuit and the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit.

4. The charging and field supplement circuit of claim 1, wherein the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit comprises a freewheeling diode, a resistor R.sub.c13, a resistor R.sub.c14, and a superconducting magnetic energy storage device; the resistor R.sub.c13 and the superconducting magnetic energy storage device are connected in series between the capacitor discharging circuit and the superconducting persistent-current switch; the resistor R.sub.c14 is connected in series between the capacitor discharging circuit and the superconducting persistent-current switch; and one end of the freewheeling diode is connected between the capacitor discharging circuit and the resistor R.sub.c13, and the other end of the freewheeling diode is connected between the capacitor discharging circuit and the resistor R.sub.c14.

5. The charging and field supplement circuit of claim 1, wherein the superconducting persistent-current switch is represented by a switch S.sub.pcs, a variable resistor R.sub.sc1, and a bypass resistor R.sub.bp; an emitter of the switch S pcs is connected to a first end of the variable resistor R.sub.sc1, and the bypass resistor R.sub.bp is connected in parallel with the switch S.sub.pcs and the variable resistor R.sub.sc1; a collector of the switch S.sub.pcs is connected to the first output end of the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit; and a second end of the variable resistor R.sub.sc1 is connected to the second output end of the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit.

6. The charging and field supplement circuit of claim 1, further comprising: a superconducting magnet accommodating portion; wherein the target superconducting magnet is provided in the superconducting magnet accommodating portion; the superconducting magnet accommodating portion comprises a joint resistor R.sub.joint and a variable resistor R.sub.sc2; one end of the joint resistor R.sub.joint is connected to the superconducting persistent-current switch, and the other end of the joint resistor R.sub.joint is connected to the target superconducting magnet; and one end of the variable resistor R.sub.sc2 is connected to the superconducting persistent-current switch, and the other end of the variable resistor R.sub.sc2 is connected to the target superconducting magnet.

7. The charging and field supplement circuit of claim 1, wherein the target superconducting magnet comprises a target superconducting coil L.sub.main.

8. The charging and field supplement circuit of claim 1, wherein in a capacitor discharge cycle, the capacitor charging circuit is in a connected or disconnected state, and the capacitor discharging circuit is in a connected state; and in a capacitor charge cycle, the capacitor charging circuit is in a connected state, and the capacitor discharging circuit is in a disconnected state.

9. A charging and field supplement circuit for superconducting magnets, comprising: a capacitor charging circuit; an energy-storage capacitor; a capacitor discharging circuit; and a superconducting persistent-current switch; wherein a first output end of the capacitor charging circuit is connected to a first end of the energy-storage capacitor, and a second output end of the capacitor charging circuit is connected to a second end of the energy-storage capacitor; a first input end of the capacitor discharging circuit is connected to the first end of the energy-storage capacitor, and a second input end of the capacitor discharging circuit is connected to the second end of the energy-storage capacitor; a first output end of the capacitor discharging circuit is connected to a first input end of the superconducting persistent-current switch, and a second output end of the capacitor discharging circuit is connected to a second input end of the superconducting persistent-current switch; two output ends of the superconducting persistent-current switch are configured to charge and magnetize a target superconducting magnet; and a lower temperature boundary of the charging and field supplement circuit is located between the energy-storage capacitor and the capacitor charging circuit, or in the capacitor discharging circuit.

10. A charging and field supplement circuit for superconducting magnets, comprising: a capacitor charging circuit; an energy-storage capacitor; a capacitor discharging circuit; and a superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit; wherein a first output end of the capacitor charging circuit is connected to a first end of the energy-storage capacitor, and a second output end of the capacitor charging circuit is connected to a second end of the energy-storage capacitor; a first input end of the capacitor discharging circuit is connected to the first end of the energy-storage capacitor, and a second input end of the capacitor discharging circuit is connected to the second end of the energy-storage capacitor; a first output end of the capacitor discharging circuit is connected to a first input end of the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit, and a second output end of the capacitor discharging circuit is connected to a second input end of the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit; two output ends of the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit are configured to charge and magnetize a target superconducting magnet; and a lower temperature boundary of the charging and field supplement circuit is located between the energy-storage capacitor and the capacitor charging circuit, in the capacitor discharging circuit, or in the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] Other features, objects and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent through the detailed description of embodiments with reference to the following drawings.

[0059] The FIGURE schematically shows a structure of a charging and field supplement circuit for superconducting magnets according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0060] The present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to embodiments, which are not intended to limit the disclosure. It should be understood that any modifications and replacements made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the disclosure should fall within the scope of the disclosure defined by the present claims.

[0061] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a charging and field supplement circuit, which includes a capacitor charging circuit 104, an energy-storage capacitor C.sub.0, a capacitor discharging circuit 105, a superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit 106, a superconducting persistent-current switch 107 and a superconducting magnet accommodating portion 108. The superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit 106 includes a freewheeling diode D.sub.fb and a superconducting magnetic energy storage device L.sub.smes. As shown in the FIGURE, the energy is sequentially transferred from the power source, the energy-storage capacitor C.sub.0, the superconducting magnetic energy storage device L.sub.smes, and finally to the superconducting magnet accommodating portion 108 from left to right. Among them, the charging and field supplement circuit includes some important components, for example, the energy-storage capacitor C.sub.0, the superconducting magnetic energy storage device L.sub.smes, the freewheeling diode D.sub.fb, a superconducting persistent-current switch S.sub.pcs, a variable resistor R.sub.sc1, a bypass resistor R.sub.bp, and a target superconducting coil L.sub.main including a joint resistor R.sub.joint and a variable resistance R.sub.sc2.

[0062] The working principle of the charging and field supplement circuit is described as follows.

[0063] The charging and field supplement circuit adopts a representative periodic pulse mode. A working cycle includes a capacitor discharge cycle and a capacitor charge cycle, the capacitor discharge cycle accounts for less than 10% of the total working cycle, and the rest is the capacitor charge cycle. During the capacitor discharge cycle, the charging switch S.sub.c keeps open or closed, the discharging switch S.sub.d is closed, and the electrical energy stored in the energy-storage capacitor C.sub.0 is released to the superconducting magnetic energy storage device L.sub.smes through the discharge circuit boundary 102, and L.sub.smes will continue to charge the superconducting magnet accommodating portion 108 over a period of time which may include one discharge cycle and a period of time after the discharge cycle. At this time, the superconducting persistent-current switch 107 is in a non-superconducting state which can provide voltage for the superconducting magnet accommodating portion 108. After the discharge cycle ends, the charging and field supplement circuit enters the capacitor charge cycle, the charging switch S.sub.c is closed, and the discharging switch S.sub.d is opened, at this time, the power supply will continue to supply energy to the energy-storage capacitor C.sub.0. At the same time, due to the freewheeling diode D.sub.fb in the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit 106, the superconducting magnetic energy storage device L.sub.smes will hold current, and the energy stored in the superconducting magnetic energy storage device L.sub.smes in the form of magnetic field energy will continue to be released to the target superconducting coil L.sub.main for a period of time, until the current is less than the current in the target superconducting coil L.sub.main. At this time, the superconducting persistent-current switch S.sub.pcs is in a superconducting state, and the current in the target superconducting coil will continue to flow without attenuation.

[0064] The charging greatly reduces the demand for the output current of the power supply and the demand for the current lead across the lower temperature boundary. The main purpose of this charging and field supplement circuit is to use a low-current, high-voltage power supply to reduce the volume of the power supply and to use a high-resistance current lead to reduce the heat leakage of the current lead.

Form 1: Freewheeling Diode Circuit

[0065] As shown in the FIGURE, if the inductance value of the superconducting magnetic energy storage device L.sub.smes in the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit 106 is 0, R.sub.bp in the superconducting persistent-current switch 107 is infinite, and S.sub.pcs keeps open, the charging and field supplement circuit becomes a simple pulse coil charging circuit, that is, the freewheeling diode circuit. In this circuit, in the capacitor discharge cycle, the energy-storage capacitor C.sub.0 charges the superconducting coil. After discharge, all the current in the superconducting coil passes through the freewheeling diode, and the energy is continuously consumed by the forward resistance of the freewheeling diode.

[0066] Unfortunately, the working mode in the form of a freewheeling diode has three main problems. 1. The voltage and current requirements of the DC power supply are relatively high, and the upper limit of the current in the coil is limited by the DC power supply. 2. The coil cannot work in a closed loop. 3. Joule heating on freewheeling diode is large and always generated. But the advantage is that it can charge faster.

Form 2: Superconducting Persistent-Current Switch Circuit

[0067] The superconducting persistent current switch (PCS) is the standard solution for the persistent current mode for superconducting magnets. A PCS usually includes a section of superconductor, which can be manipulated between superconducting and normal (resistive) states through heat, magnetic field, dynamic resistance or over current. The PCS is represented by an equivalent circuit in superconducting persistent-current switch 107 in the FIGURE, the target superconducting magnet needs to be charged, where the switch S.sub.pcs is off, or the variable resistor R.sub.sc1 is in a high-impedance state, thereby providing a parallel resistance for the superconducting magnet accommodating portion 108. After finish charging, where the switch S.sub.pcs is on, and the variable resistor R.sub.sc1 is in a non-impedance state, thus the non-impedance superconducting loop provides a closed circuit for the superconducting magnet accommodating portion 108.

[0068] In the working cycle of the pulse power supply, the superconducting persistent current switch needs to cooperate with the charging and discharging of the power supply circuit at high speed and be in a high-impedance state in each capacitor discharge cycle and the subsequent freewheeling cycle; and in each capacitor charge cycle, the superconducting persistent current switch is in a non-impedance state, so that the current in the superconducting coil does not decay with time. After the magnetization or supplementary magnetization is completed, the superconducting persistent current switch is in a non-impedance state, and the superconducting coil enters the passive closed mode.

2.1 Circuit without a Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage Circuit

[0069] If the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit 106 is removed in the FIGURE and replaced with a wire, the new circuit is equivalent to a common PCS switch superconducting magnetic charging circuit except that in the pulse mode. During charging, the PCS switch is opened, and after charging is finished, the PCS switch is closed. Usually, the PCS switch is turned on or off by heating.

[0070] However, in a pulse magnetization circuit, the switching frequency of the PCS switch is much higher than in normal operation. Such an operating frequency cannot often be achieved using a temperature-controlled PCS by heating and cooling. Instead, the switching frequency of the PCS switch is done by a current-controlled switch or a magnetic switch PCS, that is, the PCS switch is controlled by applying a DC magnetic field higher than the irreversible field to from a flux flow resistance, or applying an alternating magnetic field to form dynamic resistance to produce resistance to the superconducting wire, or by a large current that exceeds the critical current of the superconductor to bring resistance to the superconducting wire. In this application, the current control method is preferably used, because for the pulse current, the large current exceeding the critical current of the superconductor can be easily obtained without considering the time synchronization between the magnetic field and the pulse current. However, the magnetic switch PCS is also workable.

[0071] For the current-controlled PCS switch, it is a preferred solution to leave a section at the end of the wire of the target superconducting coil and provide a heating device on this section of the wire and ensures thermal insulation to the heating device. Specifically, the thermal insulation depends on the reaction speed and heating power of the heating device, good thermal insulation leads to a low reaction speed, and poor high heating power leads to too high heating power. During the working process, the temperature of the PCS circuit portion is adjusted according to the charging state, so that the critical current of the PCS circuit portion is just higher than the current I of the target superconducting coil, thereby achieving the best charging effect. During the charging process, while the capacitor discharge current, which is the current sum I.sub.D(t) of the current in the PCS circuit portion and the current in the superconducting coil, is higher than 2I, the current on the PCS circuit portion will exceed the critical current I, and a voltage generates across the PCS circuit portion, and the target superconducting coil starts to be charged. After the capacitor discharge is finished, the current on the target superconducting coil can pass through the PCS circuit portion in the reverse direction without decay. As the current on the target superconducting coil is gradually increased, the temperature of the PCS circuit portion is gradually lowered, its critical current of the PCS circuit portion always maintains just higher than the current on the target superconducting coil. During the entire charging process, the capacitor discharge current is maximized.

[0072] The advantage of such a circuit is that a small DC power supply can achieve the purpose. For example, with a 5V2A mobile phone charging power supply or other small charging power supply with QC or PD protocol or with higher current or voltage, discharge current of more than 1kA can be achieved to provide magnetization or supplementary magnetization for the superconducting magnet coil. However, such a circuit also has limitations, for example mainly in that the effective charge cycle is too short (the duty cycler η is too small), resulting in the too slow charging speed.

2.2 Circuit with a Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage Coil

[0073] In view of two slow charging speed, a superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) coil and a freewheeling diode device representing the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit 106 are introduced into the PCS circuit. Such an arrangement is to store the discharge energy of the energy-storage capacitor and to continue to magnetize the target superconducting coil in a short freewheeling period after the capacitor discharge cycle ends. For the working current and voltage of the DC power supply, target coil inductance, capacitance, and target magnetizing current, there is a corresponding selection of preferred inductance of the superconducting magnetic energy storage coil, operating frequency and duty cycle.

[0074] In the practical application, the critical current of the SMES should be significantly higher than the target superconducting coil. For example, an inductance of 0.5 μH is approximately corresponded to a three turns superconducting coil with an outer diameter of 50 mm, or a four turns superconducting coil with an outer diameter of 30 mm. Since it is easy to change its size of the superconducting coil, multiple superconducting wires are winded in parallel connection to increase the critical current.

Lower Temperature Boundary

[0075] Depending on the difficulty of operating the low-temperature capacitor and the low-temperature switch, and the heat generation of the freewheeling diode, the lower temperature boundary can be the capacitor charging circuit boundary 101, the capacitor discharging circuit boundary 102, or the freewheeling diode circuit boundary 103. If a suitable low temperature energy-storage capacitor C.sub.0 and low temperature discharging switch S.sub.d can be found, the circuit portion on the right of capacitor charging circuit boundary 101 can be arranged under the low temperature side; otherwise, the circuit portion on the right of the capacitor discharging circuit boundary 102 can be arranged under the low temperature side, and the circuit portion on the left of the capacitor discharging circuit boundary 102 can be arranged under the high temperature side. The freewheeling diode D.sub.fb in the superconducting magnetic energy storage circuit 106 can also be arranged under on the high temperature side, that is, the lower temperature boundary is arranged at the freewheeling diode circuit boundary 103, which can prevent the Joule heat of the freewheeling diode from releasing towards the low temperature side. The selection of lower temperature boundary is mainly based on the realization difficulty of low temperature components, heat generation and heat leakage. Based on the charge balance, ∫I.sub.ddt=∫I.sub.cdt, and ∫I.sub.d.sup.2dt>∫I.sub.c.sup.2dt is further obtained. This ratio is approximately equal to the reciprocal of the duty cycle 1/η, in other words, the heating per unit resistance on the capacitor discharging circuit boundary 102 is greater than the capacitor charging circuit boundary 101. Therefore, according to wire heating, the capacitor charging circuit boundary 101 is the most suitable as the lower temperature boundary. If the freewheeling diode circuit boundary 103 is arranged as the lower temperature boundary, due to the freewheeling device, the time when high current is passed on the freewheeling diode circuit boundary 103 exceeds the time when high current is passed on the capacitor discharging circuit boundary 102, so the wire heats more seriously. When selecting the current lead, if the Joule heat in the capacitor charging circuit boundary 101, the capacitor discharging circuit boundary 102, or the freewheeling diode circuit boundary 103 is the same, the thermal resistance is R101>R102>R103, so the heat leakage of the capacitor charging circuit boundary 101 is the smallest.

[0076] If Joule heating on the freewheeling diode is considered, the lower temperature boundary is arranged at the freewheeling diode circuit boundary 103, the Joule heating of the freewheeling diode has the least effect on the circuit. According to the actual situation, the lower temperature boundary can choose any one of the three cases.

[0077] Comparing with the above circuit structures and combining different low temperature boundaries, the characteristics of various circuit structures are listed in Tables 1 and 2 below. The combination of the above circuit structures and the lower temperature boundary can be selected according to the actual requirements.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 characteristics of several magnetizing circuits Freewheeling PCS diode without PCS + circuit SMES SMES Charging speed Fast Slow Relatively fast Energy consumption High Low Relatively high (heat) Passive closed No Yes yes operation Joule Heating High (high None Relatively of Diode DC power) (no diode) high

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 characteristics of different low temperature boundaries 101 102 103 Capacitor with Required Not Required Not Required low temperature Discharge switch Required Not Required Not Required with low temperature and high current Diode with low Required Required Not Required temperature, high current, and low resistance Joule Heat/Resistance Low High Highest of Current Lead Conduction leakage Low High Highest of current lead Joule Heating Released at low Released at low Released at high of Diode temperature side temperature side temperature side

[0078] For example, the circuit with PCS, SMES and the freewheeling diode circuit boundary 103 has the advantages of fast charging rate and passive operation, and diode Joule heat is released on the high temperature side, etc., but it needs to be equipped with current leads with lower resistance, resulting in large heat leakage.

[0079] As used herein, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inside”, and “outside” is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing the technical solutions and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the indicated device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed or operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, these terms should not be understood as a limitation of the present disclosure.

[0080] Described above are merely preferred embodiments of the disclosure, which are not intended to limit the disclosure. It should be understood that any modifications and replacements made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the disclosure should fall within the scope of the disclosure defined by the present claims.