Quench Behavior of a Conduction Cooled YBa2Cu3O7-x Tape Pancake Coil

Extensive applications of YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) tapes require a comprehensive knowledge of their behavior in every possible operating condition. In this paper, the thermal stability behavior of a conduction-cooled pancake coil wound with commercial YBCO coated conductors is reported from both the experimental and numerical point of view. The coil stability against heat disturbances is studied in terms of minimum quench energy and normal zone propagation velocity (NZPV) for different values of the coil currents at different temperatures. The quench dynamics of the tape is compared between experiment and the numerical analysis, obtaining a reasonable agreement for voltage traces, NZPV, and temperatures. The model allows a wide range of case studies that can be used to suggest appropriate solutions for the design of detection and protection systems.