Development strategy in USDOE and the present R&D status of superconducting technologies in the electric power sector in USA

摘要

Throughout the world, hospitals and medical clinics use Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The MRI magnets are wound with Nb-Ti, a material that is superconducting below 4.2 K, the temperature at which He liquefies. In recent years, consideration was given to using Nb3Sn which is superconducting at temperatures near 10 K. This was considered because advances in refrigeration technology made it appear that operation at the higher temperature might improve reliability and save money. However, I am not aware of any US maker who has chosen to bring Nb3Sn MRI magnets to production. The DOE did not find any of this work.