Apparatus for the inductive measurement of critical current of multistrand superconducting cables above 10 kA as a function of the temperature and magnetic field

An apparatus for the critical current measurements of high-current cables was designed to test short samples in magnetic fields up to 6 T and at temperatures from 2 K to 9 K. The sample is energized by an inductive method using a superconducting (SC) transformer. The hair-pin sample and secondary transformer winding are fixed inside the inner Dewar and cooled by helium gas at the specified temperature. The inner Dewar can be placed into the cryostat with liquid helium, where the SC solenoid and primary transformer winding are fixed stationary, thus making it possible to make a fast replacement of the sample. The author presents the parameters of the apparatus and results on measuring the critical currents of SC cable versus the magnetic field and temperature for an E=1 mu V/cm electric field. >