Superconductors are a special class of materials that, when cooled below a certain temperature, carry large electrical currents without resistance. If you arrange the material in coils, the current passing through will produce strong magnetic fields, effectively storing the potential energy of the moving electrons in the form of a magnetic field.
But if they get too hotâand by hot, we mean only a few degrees above -452 Fahrenheit (4.2 Kelvin), or the temperature of liquid heliumâthey can suddenly regain their electrical resistance and dissipate the energy of the magnetic field in a rapid burst of heat.
A newer type of superconductor, known as high-temperature superconductors (HTS), is poised to usher in another revolution for science and technology. These superconductors have the potential to produce even higher magnetic fields while operating at easier-to-maintain temperatures than traditional superconducting magnets.
In the new HTS materials, these unwanted heating events, known as “quenches,” are particularly costly, as they can destroy the magnet, damage nearby components, and deplete significant volumes of the precious liquid coolants used to chill the magnet. Due to their powerful properties, these magnets are a hot topic of research and development currently, but protecting them from destructive events is a major hurdle to their broad application.
2024-03-11 20:41:03
Link from phys.org