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Mr. John A. Rice, Principal Investigator, multiphasecomposites@excite.com
Mr.
John A. Rice, Business Official,
DOE
Grant No. DE-FG02-04ER84014
Amount:
$99,999
High-field
magnets, such as those used in High Energy Physics facilities, require precision
placement of the superconducting cables to achieve high performance.
However, existing coated metal insulators used for end shoes and spacers
have sharp points that can easily damage the cable insulation during
installation. When assembling the
magnet, these spacers can be pushed through the fabric, damage it, and
potentially flake off the coating. Electrical
shorts can result that require rework. This
project will develop novel moldable ceramic insulators for use in accelerator
and fusion magnets, in order to minimize the potential for insulation damage and
shorting. The material can be used
in place of the sharp tips or wherever small gaps exist.
The insulators will be capable of withstanding the high mechanical loads
at cryogenic temperatures, surviving the high temperature heat treatments, and
resisting radiation. Phase I will
formulate ceramic compounds that can be shaped and molded into the appropriate
dimensions. Two different
ceramic-based compositions will be examined.
The flow and formability of the materials will be evaluated under
processing. Characterization will
include strength measurement, thermal expansion, and dimensional control.
Commercial
Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee:
The ceramic insulators should be more robust and reliable than existing
materials used in high field accelerator and fusion magnet systems.
More robust insulators would lower magnet production cost, which will
help enable future devices to be constructed within budgetary restrictions.
Commercial magnets could also benefit from molded insulator components,
increasing their reliability at lower cost.