Quench protection apparatus for superconducting magnet system
A quench protection apparatus includes a number N of superconducting coils and a heater matrix. The number N of superconducting coils are electrically coupled in series. The heater matrix module includes the number N of heater units. The number N of heater units is electrically coupled in parallel with the number N of superconducting coils respectively. A number M of the heater units each includes at least the number N of heaters. Each superconducting coil is thermally coupled with at least one heater of each of the number M of the heater units. The number of N-M of the heater units each includes at least one heater. Each of the number M of superconducting coils correspondingly coupled with the number M of the heater units is thermally coupled with at least one heater of each of the number N-M of the heater units. A superconducting magnet system protected by above quench protection apparatus is also provided.
1. A quench protection apparatus comprising:
a plurality of main superconducting coils;
a bucking superconducting coil;
a plurality of main heater units each being electrically coupled in parallel with a corresponding main superconducting coil, each main heater unit comprising a plurality of heaters; and
a bucking heater unit being electrically coupled in parallel with the bucking superconducting coil, the bucking heater unit comprising a plurality of heaters;
wherein at least one heater of each main heater unit is thermally coupled with the bucking superconducting coil, and
wherein each main superconducting coil is thermally coupled with a corresponding heater of the bucking heater unit.
2. The quench protection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of main superconducting coils comprise a pair of large superconducting coils, a pair of medium superconducting coils, and a pair of small superconducting coils.
3. The quench protection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of main superconducting coils are configured to generate a main magnetic field, and the bucking superconducting coil is configured to generate a magnetic shield to prevent the main magnetic field from going beyond a designated area.
4. The quench protection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of main superconducting coils and the bucking superconducting coil are electrically coupled in series.
5. The quench protection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bucking superconducting coil carries current in an opposite direction to the plurality of main superconducting coils.
6. A superconducting magnet system comprising:
a cryogen vessel containing cryogen;
a plurality of main superconducting coils located at a center inner surface of the cryogen vessel;
a bucking superconducting coil located at a periphery inner surface of the cryogen vessel;
a plurality of main heater units each being electrically coupled in parallel with a corresponding main superconducting coil, each main heater unit comprising a plurality of heaters; and
a bucking heater unit being electrically coupled in parallel with the bucking superconducting coil, the bucking heater unit comprising a plurality of heaters;
wherein at least one heater of each main heater unit is thermally coupled with the bucking superconducting coil, and
wherein each main superconducting coil is thermally coupled with a corresponding heater of the bucking heater unit.
7. The superconducting magnet system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of main superconducting coils and the bucking superconducting coil are cooled by the cryogen in the cryogen vessel.
8. The superconducting magnet system of claim 6 , wherein the cryogen is liquid helium.
9. The superconducting magnet system of claim 6 , further comprising a thermal shield enclosing the cryogen vessel.
10. The superconducting magnet system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of main superconducting coils comprise a pair of large superconducting coils located at two axially outer sides of the center inner surface, a pair of small superconducting coils located at the center of the center inner surface, and a pair of medium superconducting coils located axially between the large and small superconducting coils.
11. The superconducting magnet system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of main superconducting coils are configured to generate a main magnetic field, and the bucking superconducting coil is configured to generate a magnetic shield to prevent the main magnetic field from going beyond a designated area.