YES. This is almost perfect except the sides should be aligned a bit more
They are aligned exactly on the cube edges. It is hard to tell unless you are looking exactly along the plane. But that view does not show the overall shape well.
Please bow them, but not make them circular.
Yes that was what I was trying to describe. Words are so hard to use when describing geometry. (I have not yet because that shape is harder to draw.)
I think it will improve the funny cusp performance.
I've heard that before. But why? or maybe more to the point, how?
Also, if we can place thin tensile members across the vertexes connecting the circular arc segments then most of the forces resolve to simple hoop stresses.
The problem of course is the plasma. But, I think that is the lowest plasma density highest B field region in the whole sphere.
funkiest looking tire I've ever seen
Yes, I was just picking up the term as a zeroth order approximation to set the scene before getting on to what I really wanted to say.
I am trying to stuff too many ideas into these little messages.
Yes, Its exciting isn't it. [help help I've fallen and I can't shut up.
]
I am having real nightmares about the plumbing.
Yes, those piping nightmares are what got me started along the line of thought that lead to that picture.
WB-6 failed due to movement of the coil windings during pulses abrading the insulation of the coils leading to a catastrophic defect.
All the more reason to think hard and early about the stresses on those SC's.
I recall some of the mfr's options included internal coolant passages.
If a ring of coolant passages were embedded in the outside layer of the SC assembly at the factory it would make the SC a structurally tractable component.
Lemme draw what I know and THEN...
Awww come on why do you want to hog all the fun?
transferring that load across several layers of vacuum
Some thoughts here (caveat I have little cryogenic experience), but:
I have seen LN2 sit overnight in a Styrofoam coffee cup with some but not a lot of evaporation. I have seen it stored for months in an insulated barrel that again looked a lot like a Styrofoam picnic jug. It sure did not look like a Dewar.
Coffee cup is what maybe 1/8" thick.
That tells me we can use Styrofoam or similar stronger plastic as the insulator between the cold water (300K) and the LN2(77K). Delta Temp = 223K
From LN2(77k) to LH2(20K) Delta Temp = is only 57K.
That tells me we can use the same stuff. Or a cold adapted version.
Viola, no vacuum gaps with their compressive, tensile and shear strengths of precisely zero.
Expanding foam insulation injected between tubes to pre-compress itself as it cures in situ looks mighty inviting.
Speaking of coils, how could this thing be wound?
My first choice is 1 turn with the last transformer really close.
If not possible then it would need splices to connect multiple wires running through the device in series. But that gets ugly when you start looking at the B fields in the junction box. Gotta watch those sharp high current turns. I've seen them sap power and cause collateral damage.
It MIGHT be possible to assemble the nested piping/wiring in a straight configuration, then bend it to the desired polyhedron.
The biggest tasks there are:
Keeping the layers concentric. (coiled spacers)
Avoiding buckling. (coiled spacers)
Keeping the SC from being stretched in the process. (loose enough fit.)
The shape I drew would be easy to fabricate for the LN2 cooled copper tubing version for sizes up to a meter in diameter. I have worked with tubing fitters who could knock that one out in say 25 bends times 10 minutes per bend is a little over 4 hours. 1 minute per bend in 1/2" copper tubing gives half an hour for the 3rd one.
That still leaves a lot of work to do:
Thread it through the electrical insulator.
Braze on the thru-wall vacuum fittings and the tensile ties.
Connecting all the layers to the infrastructure is still a problem to be solved.
But, at least it is done outside the chamber, and I think not too bad given enough elbow room.
Unless you want to try to make all those SC electrical cross-connects right at the Magrid itself and also to rejigger the coolants to keep the SC covered properly all without making a bulge.
