Bend strain tolerances of a Nb3Sn conductor proposed for use in the magnetic fusion energy program

Bend strain tolerances were studied on a 2869 filament bronze-processed Nb3Sn wire conductor in magnetic fields to 8 T. Relative values of the wire\´s current transfer length to twist pitch were shown to influence the bend-strain tolerance. Low matrix resistivities, associated with Sn-depleted bronzes following heat-treatments of 48 h at 725°C, produce current transfer lengths less than the twist pitch, 10 mm, The resulting bend-strain tolerances, at 10^-12ohm.cm, are improved over those found for shorter heat-treatment times. Results from bend-fatigue experiments were divided into two domains separated by the strain value required to produce compound cracking, . Applied bending strains less than were found to increase zero strain critical current values and this increase was independent of the number of fatigue cycles. When applying strains large enough to produce cracking in the compound critical currents decreased from their as-reacted values tending to reach a minimum after several fatigue cycles. Evidence exists for a neutral axis shift during bending and slight differences between tensile and bend strain tolerances are accounted for in terms of such a shift.