Electrical Protection of Superconducting Magnet Systems

The problem of dissipating the energy stored in the field of a superconducting magnet when a quench occurs has received considerable study. However, when the magnet becomes a system 4 miles in length whose normal operation is an ac mode, some re-examination of standard techniques for dissipating energy outside the magnets is in order. Data accumulated in the Fermilab Energy Doubler magnet development program shows that heating associated with the temporal and spatial development of quenches is highly localized and can result in temperatures damaging to the superconducting wire. This paper reviews the design and operation of several energy dumping schemes, compatible with the operation of ac superconducting magnets, wherein more than 70% of the stored energy can be dissipated outside the magnet. Instrumentation to detect quenches early in their development and circuits for dumping the field energy are described, and representative operating performance data for the dump circuits and data showing temporal development of quenches are presented.