Shear Strength of the ASDEX Upgrade Toroidal Field (TF) Coil Insulation: Rupture, Fatigue and Creep Behavior

摘要

The interlaminar shear strength of the insulation system for the 16 toroidal field (TF) coils of ASDEX Upgrade was assessed. The pure resin was tested in tension. The results were taken into account for setting up the method of curing the TF coils. Shear tests of the complete glass-epoxy system were conducted with tubular torque specimens providing a nearly homogeneous stress distribution. The influence of the amount of flexibilizer (5, 10, 15 parts of resin weight) on the rupture and fatigue strengths was assessed at 60 C, as was the temperature dependence of the creep rate (40, 60, 80 C). The results obtained are not based on safe statistics. Nevertheless, they show clear trends. A viscoelastic (dashpot spring) model was set up to describe the creep behavior of the insulation system.