Share

IIR document

Optimization tool for cryogenic mixed-refrigerant cycles applied on HTS and hybrid LTS current leads.

Number: 0018

Author(s) : BOEHM F., ARNSBERG J., GROHMANN S.

Summary

For superconducting applications, the main operating cost originates from the power demand for cooling. It is therefore essential to reduce the heat load onto the cryogenic system and to apply an efficient cooling system. The former can effectively be achieved by primarily addressing the largest contributor to the heat load, i.e. the current leads. Instead of cooling them at the cold end, providing continuous cooling along the whole length reduces overall Joule heating. To achieve efficient cooling at the temperatures necessary for HTS applications, cryogenic mixed-refrigerant cycles (CMRC) based on the Joule-Thomson effect offer a scalable and efficient option. Especially the adaptability of the wide-boiling mixture to the specific application and simple process setup make this process the ideal choice for the cooling of current leads. The technology developed at KIT combines the electrical purpose of the current leads with their thermodynamically optimal integration as internal heat exchangers of a CMRC.
In this contribution, a numerical tool developed for simulation and optimization of the operating conditions (refrigerant composition, pressures) of CMRC is adapted to consider the distributed heat load in the current lead. A Differential Evolution algorithm is applied to optimize the operating conditions for the mixed-refrigerant cycle to cool a pair of 10 kA current leads. Boundary conditions such as pressure drops, temperature approaches and compressor characteristics are taken from a numerical heat exchanger/current lead simulation model. The results demonstrate that current leads can be cooled to T < 80 K with a single CMRC with unprecedented efficiency. A prototype design will be tested in our new test facility COMPASS.

Available documents

Format PDF

Pages: 7 P.

Available

  • Public price

    20 €

  • Member price*

    Free

* Best rate depending on membership category (see the detailed benefits of individual and corporate memberships).

Details

  • Original title: Optimization tool for cryogenic mixed-refrigerant cycles applied on HTS and hybrid LTS current leads.
  • Record ID : 30033875
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: Technology
  • Source: Cryogenics 2025. Proceedings of the 18th IIR International Conference on Cryogenics, Prague, Czech Republic, 7-11 April 2025.
  • Publication date: 2025/04/07
  • DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18462/iir.cryo.2025.0018

Links


See other articles from the proceedings (51)
See the conference proceedings

Indexing