The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 05, 1991
Filed:
Aug. 31, 1989
William R Wolfe, Penn Hills, PA (US);
James R Logan, Hampton Twp., Allegheny County both of, PA (US);
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a hydraulic sensor for quench detection and location in a superconductor, and particularly a superconductor used to form an inductor or a magnet. The sensor consists of an insulating tube (1) adjacent to and preferably co-wound with the super conductor (2) and filled with a supercooled working fluid (3). When joule heating occurs in the superconducting conductor as a result of a portion of it becoming normal, the heat is transferred directly to the corresponding portion of the adjacent tube (1). This heat causes the vapor pressure of the working fluid (3) at that point in the tube to change. This change in pressure propagates in both directions at the speed of sound in the working fluid. By detecting with sensors (6,7) when a change in pressure arrives at the ends (5,6) of the tube (1) and calculating the difference between the arrival times, not only can a quench be detected, but the exact location of the quench initiation region can be determined.