Investigation of 0.5 MJ superconducting energy storage system by acoustic emission method.

The rapid development of small-scale (1-10 MJ) Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage Systems (SMES) can be explained by real perspective of practical implementation of these devices in electro power nets. However the serious problem of all high mechanically stressed superconducting coils-problem of training and degradation (decreasing) of operating current still exists. Moreover for SMES systems this problems is more dangerous because of pulsed origin of mechanical stresses-one of the major sources of local heat disturbances in superconducting coils. We investigated acoustic emission (AE) phenomenon on model and 0.5 MJ SMES coils taking into account close correlation of AE and local heat disturbances. Two-coils 0.5 MJ SMES system was developed, manufactured and tested at Russian Research Center in the frames of cooperation with Korean Electrical Engineering Company (KEPCO) [1]. The two-coil SMES operates with the stored energy transmitted between coils in the course of a single cycle with 2 seconds energy transfer time. Maximum operating current 1.55 kA corresponds to 0.5 MF in each coil. The Nb-Ti-based conductor was designed and used for SMES manufacturing. It represents transposed cable made of Nb-Ti strands in copper matrix, several cooper strands and several stainless steel strands. The coils are wound onto fiberglass cylindrical bobbins. To make AE event information more useful a real time instrumentation system was used. Two main measured and computer processed AE parameters were considered: the energy of AE events (E) and the accumulated energy of AE events (E ). Influence of current value in 0.5 MJ coils on E and E was studied. The sensors were installed onto the bobbin and the external surface of magnets. Three levels of initial current were examined: 600A, 1000A, 2450 A. An extraordinary strong dependence of the current level on E and E was observed. The specific features of AE from model coils, operated in sinusoidal vibration current changing mode were investigated. Three current frequency modes were examined: 0.012 Hz, 0.03 Hz and 0.12 Hz. In all modes maximum amplitude 1200 A was realized.