Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Commonwealth Fusion Systems LLC

Ion Beam Applications S.a.

Novum Industria LLC

Philip Michael

Alexey L Radovinsky

Leslie Bromberg

John D Wright

Zachary S Hartwig

Rui Vieira

Brandon N Sorbom

William Beck

James Irby

Martin Greenwald

Brian Labombard

Robert Mumgaard

Daniel Brunner

Jeffrey Doody

Lihua Zhou

Robert S Granetz

Joseph V Minervini

Shunichi Shiraiwa

Syun'ichi Shiraiwa

Eric Forton

Alexey Radovinsky

Emma Pearson

Described herein are concepts, system and techniques which provide a means to construct robust high-field superconducting magnets using simple fabrication techniques and modular components that scale well toward commercialization. The resulting magnet assembly—which utilizes non-insulated, high temperature superconducting tapes (HTS) and provides for optimized coolant pathways—is inherently strong structurally, which enables maximum utilization of the high magnetic fields available with HTS technology. In addition, the concepts described herein provide for control of quench-induced current distributions within the tape stack and surrounding superstructure to safely dissipate quench energy, while at the same time obtaining acceptable magnet charge time. The net result is a structurally and thermally robust, high-field magnet assembly that is passively protected against quench fault conditions.

Grooved, stacked-plate superconducting magnets and electrically conductive terminal blocks and related construction techniques

Described herein are concepts, system and techniques which provide a means to construct robust high-field superconducting magnets using simple fabrication techniques and modular components that scale well toward commercialization. The resulting magnet assembly&#x2014;which utilizes non-insulated, high temperature superconducting tapes (HTS) and provides for optimized coolant pathways&#x2014;is inherently strong structurally, which enables maximum utilization of the high magnetic fields available with HTS technology. In addition, the concepts described herein provide for control of quench-induced current distributions within the tape stack and surrounding superstructure to safely dissipate quench energy, while at the same time obtaining acceptable magnet charge time. The net result is a structurally and thermally robust, high-field magnet assembly that is passively protected against quench fault conditions.

Grooved, stacked-plate superconducting magnets and electrically conductive terminal blocks

A magnet for transporting a particle beam in a target magnet field may include a first set of coils and a second set of coils. According to some aspects, the first and second set of coils may be configured to generate a combined desired magnetic field within the bore and may be configured to generate a combined magnetic field weaker than the desired magnetic field outside the bore.

Ironless, actively-shielded, variable field magnet for medical gantries

Novel configurations to improve the performance of superconducting magnetic energy storage system are described. The use of poloidal grading of the conductor, enabled by the use of 2generation YBCO conductors, is described. Methods to improve system performance when limited by the critical field of the superconductor are described, using optimized thin winding pack and thick winding pack toroidal geometries, where a uniform or near uniform magnetic field can be generated in a torus. Configurations that minimize structural requirements, weight and costs are also described. Cryostat innovations useful with toroidal systems are provided.

Light-weight, efficient superconducting magnetic energy storage systems

Toroidal superconducting magnets can be used as lightweight rotating bending magnets in hadron therapy gantries. The toroidal bending magnets are self-shielded and do not require ferromagnetic material for field modification or shielding, decreasing both the magnet system weight, as well as overall gantry weight. Achromatic magnet can be made by combining two of these bending magnets. The simple geometry may allow the use of higher fields, making it attractive for carbon, as well as proton.

Toroidal bending magnets for hadron therapy gantries

The invention specifies the use of feedback in the radio frequency (RF) drive for a synchrocyclotron, controlling the phase and/or amplitude of the accelerating field as a means to assure optimal acceleration of the beam, to increase the average beam current and to alter the beam orbit in order to allow appropriate extraction as the beam energy is varied. The effect of space charge is reduced by rapid acceleration and extraction of the beam, and the repetition rate of the pulses can be increased. Several means are presented to monitor the phase of the beam in synchrocyclotrons and to adjust the phase and amplitude of the RF to optimize the acceleration of the beam and to adjust the extraction and injection of the beam. Also, the use of a pulsed ion source that matches the acceptance window of the synchrocyclotron is described.

Phase-lock loop synchronization between beam orbit and RF drive in synchrocyclotrons

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Philip Michael