The Application of a CMR-B-Scalar Sensor for the Investigation of the Electromagnetic Acceleration of Type II Superconductors

• Main Authors: Vilius Vertelis, Saulius Balevicius, Voitech Stankevic, Nerija Zurauskiene, Markus Schneider
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
• Series: Sensors
• Subjects: electromagnetic launch; type II superconductors; CMR-B-scalar sensor; magnetic field dynamics
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/4/1293

In this paper, we investigated the behavior of a type II superconducting armature when accelerated by a pulsed magnetic field generated by a single-stage pancake coil. While conducting this investigation, we performed a numerical finite element simulation and an experimental study of the magnetic field dynamics at the edge of the pancake coil when the payload was a superconducting disc made from YBa₂Cu₃O₇₋_x, cooled down to 77 K. The magnetic field measurements were performed using a CMR-B-scalar sensor, which was able to measure the absolute magnitude of the magnetic field and was specifically manufactured in order to increase the sensor’s sensitivity up to 500 mT. It was obtained that type II superconducting armatures can outperform normal metals when the launch conditions are tailored to their electromagnetic properties.