Demonstration of electromagnetic coupling between superconducting filaments in 3D: current density distribution in uncoupled (a) and in coupled filaments (b). With symmetry utilization, only 1/8 of the geometry needs to be simulated.

Contact scientist: Dr. Bertrand Dutoit

This group is part of the Laboratory of Nonlinear Systems at EPFL. The group has been active in measurements and characterization of HTS conductors in terms of AC losses and several material parameters in transport current and applied external field. We also use different numerical models to perform simulations in various operating conditions in order to find and propose to manufacturers the optimal conductor and device configurations. For our simulations we use the Finite Element Method software packages FLUX2D and FLUX3D, which allow us to obtain detailed view of the current and field distributions, and to compute precisely the AC losses inside superconductors with complex geometries and/or field-dependent properties, for which theoretical methods are not available.

Within MaNEP, we have been involved in the design of a novel high-speed measurement system for dynamic Hall-probe mapping of the magnetic field on the surface of HTS tapes, and in 3D numerical modelling of YBCO thin film fault-current limiters in collaboration with Prof. Fischer's group of the University of Geneva.

References
S. Stavrev et al., IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercon. 13, 3807 (2003).
F. Grilli et al., Supercon. Sci. Tech. 16, 1228 (2003).