Numerical simulation of flux jump behavior in REBaCuO ring bulks with an inhomogeneous Jc profile during pulsed-field magnetization

Abstract

Abstract We have investigated the electromagnetic and thermal properties of a REBaCuO ring bulk with an inhomogeneous critical current density, J c, profile during pulsed field magnetization (PFM) using a numerical simulation and compared those to a bulk with a homogeneous J c profile. A notch was introduced in the bulk periphery, which was assumed as a crack existing in the actual bulk material. A sudden flux penetration (flux jump) took place through the notch area and as a result, a large temperature rise also took place around this notch. Consequently, the final trapped field profile was simulated to be a ‘C-shaped profile’, which qualitatively reproduced our previous experimental results. The size and position dependences of the notch on the flux penetration behaviour were also simulated, in which a larger and outer notch promotes the flux jump phenomenon easily. On the other hand, in the homogeneous model, under the same conditions, no flux jump phenomenon was observed. These results suggest that the imperfection in the bulk can be a possible starting point of the flux jump. The electromagnetic and thermal hoop stresses were also simulated in the ring bulk during PFM, in which the electromagnetic stress and the thermal stress were both observed to be lower than the fracture strength of the bulk material. This provides good evidence that the experimentally observed ‘C-shaped profile’ results from the flux jump rather than the fracture of the bulk.