Temperature Dependence of Total AC Loss in High-Temperature Superconducting Tapes

A versatile experimental facility was designed and set up to measure transport ac losses, magnetization ac losses, and total ac losses in high-temperature superconductors at variable temperatures. Several sets of measurements were carried out in the temperature range of 35 K to 100 K. Sample temperature during the measurements could be controlled within plusmn0.5 K of set temperature. Temperature dependence of transport losses reflects variation of critical current density of the tapes with temperature. Temperature dependence of magnetization losses exhibits an interesting behavior with a peak, whose position shifts to lower temperatures as the magnetic field is increased. Experimental data of ac losses at various temperatures are compared with those calculated using numerical methods. Generally, the simulated results reproduce well the experimental data.