Neutron irradiation effect on critical current and critical temperature of Nb3Sn wire

Abstract

Abstract The ITER project is ongoing in France, and it is expected that a lot of high energy neutrons will be generated, and some neutrons will reach to superconducting magnets. To keep the safe and stable operation of the superconducting magnets, the neutron irradiation data must be piled up and the mechanisms of the irradiation effect must be investigated. A 15.5 T superconducting magnet and a variable temperature insert were installed in a radiation control area at Oarai centre in Tohoku University, and the superconducting properties of the irradiated Nb3Sn wires have been evaluated. The critical current was improved once and drastically dropped after irradiation of 1023 n/m2, and the critical temperature degraded monotonically, and the critical magnetic field decreased around 17 T after the irradiation of 1023 n/m2. The mechanism of the irradiation effect was discussed based on a flux pinning concept.