COMPOSITE COILS FOR TOROIDAL FIELD COILS AND METHOD OF USING SAME

摘要

A composite toroidal field (TF) generating means (20) consisting of segmented magnetic coil windings (21). Each coil winding (21) of the TF generating means consists of a copper or copper alloy conductor segment (10) and an aluminum or aluminum alloy conductor segment (11). The conductor segments are joined at a high strength, low electrical resistance joint (12) which may either be mechanical or metallurgical. To enhance strengthened conductivity for mechanical joints a cross-sectional area greater than the cross-sectional area of any of the conductor segments is provided. Since the coil of the invention may be externally cooled, the joint forms a smooth continuous surface with respect to coil segments (10, 11) so as not to interfere with the external cooling. The use of the aluminum or aluminum alloy conductor segments improves the neutron economy of the reactor with which the TF coil is associated and reduces TF coil nuclear heating and heating gradients, and activation in the TF coils.