Quench Protection for the MICE Cooling Channel CouplingMagnet

The MICE coupling coil is fabricated from Nb-Ti, which hashigh quench propagation velocities within the coil in all directionscompared to coils fabricated with other superconductors such as niobiumtin. The time for the MICE coupling coil to become fully normal throughnormal region propagation in the coil is shorter than the time needed fora safe quench (as defined by a hot-spot temperature that is less than 300K). A MICE coupling coil quench was simulated using a code written at theInstitute of Cryogenics and Superconductive Technology (ICST) at theHarbin Institute of Technology (HIT). This code simulates quench backfrom the mandrel as well as normal region propagation within the coil.The simulations included sub-division of the coil. Each sub-division hasa back to back diodes and resistor across the coil. Current flows in theresistor when there is enough voltage across the coil to cause current toflow through the diodes in the forward direction. The effects of thenumber of coil sub-divisions and the value of the resistor across thesub-division on the quench were calculated with and without quench back.Sub-division of the coupling coil reduces the peak voltage to ground, thelayer-to-layer voltage and the magnet hot-spot temperature. Quench backreduces the magnet hot-spot temperature, but the peak voltage to groundand layer-to-layer voltage are increased, because the magnet quenchesfaster. The resistance across the coil sub-division affects both thehot-spot temperature and the peak voltage to ground