Quench Localization in Superconducting Magnets using the Harmonic Field Analysis Method

• Samuele Mariotto

The location of the quench development in modern superconducting magnets is one of the key information to be retrieved during a powering test to evaluate possible limitations or instabilities. The most common technologies used to locate the state transition are the voltage taps and the quench antenna, thanks to their reliability and accuracy. However, during the production phase of a magnet, the number of voltage taps is commonly reduced to simplify the construction process and quench antennas are generally used only for dipoles or quadrupoles to limit the antenna design complexity. A new method for the quench localization has been optimized and applied to the High Order Corrector Magnets for the HL-LHC upgrade project during the series production. After the magnet discharge, the position of the quenched coil/coils can be retrieved considering the effect of the still magnetized superconductors on the total magnetic field harmonics, measured using standard techniques. From the comparison of the predicted quenched coil position and the measurements of the HO series power tests, this method of quench localization proves to be a powerful tool to improve diagnostic technologies for the development of modern superconducting magnets.

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