Quench Propagation and Training in Simulated Superconducting Magnet Windings

Training behavior similar to that which occurs in full scale superconducting accelerator magnets has been observed in small test windings. The test coils are formed from approximately 20 meters of conductor wound non-inductively, in Bifilar fashion. The resulting racetrack shaped coil is molded at elevated temperature to simulate the construction techniques used for the ISABELLE dipoles. The quench current of such windings has been measured as a function of applied field and the effect of parameters such as mechanical loading and porosity have been investigated. The velocity of propagation of the normal front has been measured both along and transverse to the direction of current flow for several test windings. The minimum energy required to produce a self propagating normal zone has also been determined in an attempt to quantify the relative stability of the coils.