Mamoru Shimada

Test results of the 100 kWh SMES model coil – AC loss performance

Abstract In order to establish a technology needed for a small-scale 100 kWh SMES device, an SMES model coil was fabricated. Performance tests were carried out at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) in 1996. After that, the coil was installed in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) facility and tested in 1998, in collaboration between Japan and the United States. The AC losses measured at LLNL were in good agreement with those measured at JAERI. It was reconfirmed that the coupling loss of the coil could be expressed in two components: one with a short and another with a long coupling time constant. We found out from the Hall probe signals that the loop currents with long decay times were induced in the CIC conductor by varying magnetic field. These currents resulted in additional AC loss in the coil. To develop a concept of CIC with low AC loss, we made a sub-scale CIC conductor of strands coated with CuNi. We fabricated a small coil out of this conductor and measured the AC loss. The measured AC loss in this coil was about 1/6 of that in the SMES model coil conductor per strand volume. Thus, the CuNi coating of the strands was demonstrated to be effective to reduce the AC loss in the coil.

Experimental results of the R&D forced-flow poloidal coil (TOKI-PF)

Abstract As research and development (R&D) of poloidal-field coils for the Large Helical Device (LHD), a forced-flow cooled cable-in-conduit-type NbTi superconducting coil (TOKI-PF) has been tested. The success of excitations assured us that the NbTi cable-in-conduit conductor can be adopted for the LHD poloidal coils. During cool-down, mainly the hydraulic characteristics were measured. The friction factor could be expressed by using an empirical formula. In the DC operations, training behavior was observed, like in a pool-cooled coil. The friction factor was also affected by the number of excitations, which may be related to strand movement. The stability margin and propagation velocity were also measured using an inductive heater. It became evident that the stability margin had a lower value when the operation current was higher than 15 kA. This current seems to correspond to the limiting current.

Test results of the SMES model coil—pulse performance

A model coil for superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES model coil) has been developed. To establish the technology needed for a small-scale 100 kW h SMES device, a SMES model coil was fabricated and tested in 1996. The coil was successfully charged up to about 30 A and down to zero at the designed magnetic-field ramp rate for the SMES. Alternating current (AC) losses in the coil were measured by an enthalpy method. The results were analyzed and compared with the test results from a short sample. The measured hysteresis loss is in good agreement with that estimated from the short sample results. It was found that the coupling loss of the coil could be described as consisting of two components with different coupling time constants. One has a short time constant of about 220 ms, which is in agreement with the test result of a short conductor. The other has a long time constant of about 30 s, which was not expected from the test results for the short sample.

A Japanese prospective multicenter study of self-expandable metal stent placement for malignant colorectal obstruction: short-term safety and efficacy within 7 days of stent procedure in 513 cases.

BACKGROUND Endoscopic self-expandable metal stent placement has been used as an alternative to surgery for malignant colorectal obstruction; however, factors affecting its clinical outcome are unclear. OBJECTIVE To clarify the short-term safety and efficacy of endoscopic self-expandable metal stent placement for malignant colorectal obstruction and to identify factors associated with its clinical and technical failure. DESIGN Prospective clinical cohort study. SETTING Fourteen academic centers and 32 community hospitals. PATIENTS A total of 513 consecutive patients with malignant colorectal obstruction. INTERVENTION Endoscopic self-expandable metal stent placement, sharing of stent placement methods among participating facilities. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS The primary endpoint was clinical success, defined as symptom and radiological finding resolution within 24 hours. Secondary endpoints were technical success and adverse events. The follow-up period was 7 days. RESULTS The clinical and technical success rates were 95.5% and 97.9%, respectively. Major adverse events included perforation (2.1%), stent migration (1.0%), and stent occlusion (0.8%). The main causes of perforation were the procedure itself (0.8%) and comorbidities (obstructive colitis and impending perforation) not apparent before stent placement (0.6%). Extrinsic tumor origin was independently associated with the clinical failure after stent placement (odds ratio 4.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-14.79; P = .02). Stricture marking trended toward a negative association with technical failure (P = .09). LIMITATIONS Noncomparative study. CONCLUSION Strict inclusion criteria and stricture marking may improve the technical and clinical success of stent placement.

AC loss performance of the 100 kWh SMES model coil

AC loss tests of the SMES model coil for 100 kWh SMES pilot plant were carried out at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in 1998, in collaboration between Japan and the USA. The AC loss results at LLNL were in good agreement with those obtained at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) in 1996. The coupling loss in the coil could be described by two components with a short time constant (0.22s) and a long time constant (30s). The short time constant was in good agreement with that measured in a short sample. The signals of Hall probes, mounted on the surface of the coil, revealed that the induced loop currents in the conductor decayed with long time constants. At least two long time constants were observed: about 4s and 100s. The long time constant was also identified by the observation of voltage decay after the coil discharge. These loops result in the additional AC loss in the coil. Effect of lateral force in the cable on losses was studied as well. An improved conductor aiming to reduce the AC loss was designed, fabricated and wound in a small coil. The measured AC loss in the small coil made of the improved conductor was about 1/6 of the SMES model coil per strand volume.

Domestic test result of the Japanese LCT coil

Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) has been preparing one D shape superconducting coil for the Large Coil Task. This paper describes mainly the results on domestic test which has been successfully carried out with a single test condition in JAERI this year. The main results, which were obtained during the test, are cool-down and warm-up characteristics, superconducting recovery characteristics, discharge characteristics, strain and displacement measurements, and heat load measurements. Before describing the results, the Japanese coil design parameters and the Superconducting Engineering Test Facility for the domestic test are shown in this paper.

SMES coil configurations with reduced stray field

The stray field of SMES restricts its site location, although SMES has an attractive potential for power management and quality control. The stray field outside a solenoid is analyzed by a series of Legendre polynomials and the result is applied to the stray fields of various SMES coil configurations. As long as the summation of magnetic moments from all coils is zero, the term of a stray field decreasing as r/sub p//sup -3/ can be cancelled out. The higher order of the stray field can vanish if the coil arrangement is optimized. In this paper, the authors consider a single solenoid as a reference, active shield coils, axially displaced coils and multipole coils to reduce the stray field. The multipole coil configuration has high potential to drop the stray field, since the stray field behaves like r/sub p//sup (3+n/2)/, where n is the coil number.

Stability of a NbTi forced-cooled superconducting coil by subcooled supercritical helium

The stability and quench characteristics of a NbTi forced-cooled superconducting coil at the subcooled condition were investigated. The test coil was wound in a one-layer solenoid from a cable-in-conduit-type conductor of 1.5 kA at 7 T, whose total length was 34 m. It was installed in a background coil and tested between the subcooled condition below 4.5 K and the normal condition above 4.5 K. Stability, quench current, normal propagation velocity, and pressure rise during a quench of the subcooled coil were measured. The stability margin increased and the pressure rise during a quench decreased as the inlet coolant temperature was lowered. >

Test results of the DPC-TJ: stability performance

Abstract In this paper the stability test results of the DPC-TJ coil are summarized. The DPC-TJ coil is a cable-in-conduit, forced-flow type, large superconducting coil, cooled by supercritical helium. The stability test was performed using an inductive heating method, and the dependences of the stability margins on the operating current and on the duration of heating were investigated. The relation between heating power and the take-off time, defined as the time from the start of heating until the appearance of normalcy in the conductor, was also studied. The main results are as follows: the so-called limiting currents were not obvious with the present test conditions; the influence of the duration of heating on the stability margin was small; and the heating power was inversely proportional to the square root of the take-off time, up to ≈ 20 ms.

Development of ITER TF Coil in Japan

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) started sub- and full-scale trials to qualify and optimize manufacturing procedure of ITER TF coil from March 2009 under the contract with Toshiba. As major outcome of these trials, feasibility of high accuracy of winding, prediction of the conductor elongation due to heat treatment and radial plate manufacture is confirmed. Therefore, JAEA can mostly establish manufacturing plan for the TF coil and then, start the first TF coil procurement from 2013, following to full demonstration through manufacturing a dummy double-pancake in 2012.