Superconductivity - Part 1: Critical current measurement - DC critical current of Nb-Ti composite superconductors

This part of IEC 61788 covers a test method for the determination of the d.c. critical current of either Cu/Nb-Ti composite superconductors that have a copper/superconductor ratio larger than 1 or Cu/Cu-Ni/Nb-Ti wires that have a copper/superconductor ratio larger than 0,9 and a copper alloy (Cu-Ni)/superconductor ratio larger than 0,2, where the diameter of Nb-Ti superconducting filaments is larger than 1 micrometre. The changes for the Cu/Cu-Ni/Nb-Ti are described in Annex C. The Cu-Ni uses all of the main part of the standard with the exceptions listed in Annex C that replace (and in some cases are counter to) some of the steps inthe main text.

This method is intended for use with superconductors that have critical currents less than 1 000 A and n-values larger than 12, under standard test conditions and at magnetic fields less than or equal to 0,7 of the upper critical magnetic field. The test specimen is immersed in a liquid helium bath at a known temperature during testing. The test conductor has a monolithic structure with a round or rectangular cross-sectional area that is less than 2 mm2. The specimen geometry used in this test method is an inductively coiled specimen. De