Models for the development of superconducting magnets with open source software

by Prof. Frederic Trillaud (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México)

Thursday 28 Jul 2022, 09:30 → 11:00 Europe/Berlin

The design of superconducting magnets relies on multiphysics models to
ensure that they operate safely and reliably in different operating
condictions. One of the key issues is the prevention or handling of
quenches. A quench is a sudden release of energy within the body of the
superconducting magnet that can lead to the local loss of the
superconducting state. If such loss occurs, a hot spot appears that can
lead to a thermal runaway resulting in physical damages rendering the
magnet inoperable. In laboratories such as CERN, for instance, where
in-house dedicated codes are also developed, the main numerical tools
to simulate such phenomenon remain expensive Finite Element (FE)
commercial software under professional licenses (ANSYS and COMSOL
Multiphysics amongst others). Here, an alternative choice is proposed,
Elmerfem, a scalable open-source FE software developped in Finland to
tackle multiphysics problem. Using this free tool, we have developed
different multiphysics models to demonstrate the capability of the
software and the extent to which it is relevant in designing
superconducting magnets. A specific case study was chosen as part of a
collaboration with the Magnet Section of the Paul Scherrer Institut
(PSI), Superbend BS3-5, a superconducting magnet designed to provide 3
to 5 T peak field for the upgrade of the Swiss Light Source SLS2.0.