Modular High-Field Superconducting Magnets with Demountable Joints for Fusion Energy Applications

博士研究项目背景：聚变能源的商业化将需要带有可拆卸超导接头的模块化磁铁。它们将在低温强磁场中运行。在这个项目中，这位博士生将设计、开发和测试使用传统低温和高温超导体制成的新型可拆卸超导接头。这些接头必须满足以下要求：低成本、低损耗、热、电和机械稳定，以及远程操作准备就绪。在Durham(超导集团)和CCFE(STEP和RACE)拥有专业知识和设施的员工将在这些接头的设计和制造方面进行合作。高电流下的测试将在达勒姆的高场低温设施中进行。21世纪初，法国卡达拉奇正在建造的国际热核实验堆(ITER)托卡马克是最令人兴奋的科学计划(http://www.iter.org/).它将产生500兆瓦的电力，大约是机器运行所需功率的10倍。超导是这个项目的实现技术，因为如果没有超导，容纳等离子体的磁体要么会熔化，要么会消耗比托卡马克产生的更多的能量。热核实验堆大约三分之一的成本来自使用低温超导体的超导磁体。在热核实验堆之后，我们预计将在世界各地建造新的托卡马克，这将有助于实现商业聚变能源(例如，演示-示范发电厂-和用于发电的阶梯球形托卡马克)。不幸的是，ITER超导磁体不适合核聚变能源的商业化，因为它们不是模块化的，也不是可拆卸的。如果ITER的一个TF线圈损坏，至少需要一年时间才能更换。此外，在商业托卡马克中，模块磁铁和关节将需要使用远程操作进行更换，因为激活程度将使人类无法直接进入。CCFE在RACE领域拥有世界级的专业知识，包括20多年处理喷气式飞机远程操作的经验。该博士学位将汇集专业知识，开发用于聚变能源应用的下一代可拆卸超导接头。博士研究项目及督导：博士研究项目为试验性项目。它将包括达勒姆大学和库勒姆聚变能源中心(CCFE)为新的可拆卸磁铁设计、制造和测量接头的合作。学生将专注于开发新的连接设计，同时考虑传统的低温和高温超导体。ITER的第一等离子体时间表(2025年)为职业生涯早期的物理学家提供了一个极好的机会，帮助他们开创使用低温和高温超导体的新的可拆卸磁体设计。预计他们将与世界各地致力于核聚变的科学家建立网络。

Background to the PhD Research Project:: Modular magnets with demountable superconducting joints will be required for commercialisation of fusion energy. They will operate at cryogenic temperatures in high magnetic fields. In this project, the PhD student will design, develop and test new demountable superconducting joints made using both traditional low temperature and high temperature superconductors. These joints must meet the requirements: low-cost, low-loss, thermally, electrically and mechanically stable, and remote-handling ready. Staff with expertise and facilities in Durham (Superconductivity Group) and CCFE (STEP and RACE) will collaborate in the design and fabrication of these joints. Testing at high currents will be in high-field cryogenic facilities in Durham. At the beginning of the 21st century, the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) Tokamak that is being built in Cadarache in France is one of the most exciting scientific projects (http://www.iter.org/). It will produce 500 MW which is about ten times the power needed to run the machine. Superconductivity is the enabling technology for this project since without it, the magnets that hold the plasma would either melt or consume more energy than the tokamak produces. Approximately one third of the cost of ITER comes from the superconducting magnets which use low temperature superconductors. After ITER, we expect new tokamaks to be built across the world that will help enable commercial fusion energy (eg DEMO - Demonstration Power Plant - and STEP - Spherical Tokamak for Electricity Production). Unfortunately the ITER superconducting magnets will not be suitable for commercialisation of fusion energy because they are not modular or demountable. If one of the TF coils at ITER is damaged, it will take at least one year to replace it. Furthermore in commercial tokamaks, modular magnets and joints will need replacing using remote handling because the levels of activation will make direct human entry impossible. CCFE have world-class expertise at RACE, including more than 20 years handling remote operations for JET. This PhD will bring together the expertise to develop next generation demountable superconducting joints for fusion energy applications. PhD Research Project and Supervision : The PhD research project will be experimental. It will include a collaboration between Durham University and The Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE) designing, fabricating and measuring joints for new demountable magnets. The student will focus on developing novel joint designs, considering both traditional low- and high-temperature superconductors. The timescale for first-plasma at ITER (2025) offers a wonderful opportunity for early career Physicists to help pioneer new demountable magnet designs using low- and high-temperature superconductors. They will be expected to network with scientists throughout the world working on fusion.