Optimization of large multiple coil systems for pulsed magnets

The generation of pulsed magnetic fields is limited by the Lorentz force on the conductor and by ohmic heating. A large coil can give higher field (and/or longer pulse duration), but for a single coil this may require high power that cannot be supplied by a feasible source. Power can be kept within acceptable limits by using a system of multiple coils. Pulsed field coils can be energized either by a pulsed power supply or a pulsed energy source. The energy or power supplies tend to be the most expensive part of the installation and a combination of high power and high energy is extremely expensive. In a multi-coil system , the increased design freedom allows to optimize the strength, pulse duration and heating of the coil, and to optimize the selection of materials and power supplies; one can so also minimize damage in case of coil failure. Because of the increased number of parameters, systematic insight into their mutual dependence is helpful in order to converge to an optimized design. Since the local optima are relatively weak, for the final design any standard method of pulsed coil design can be used. In this paper we will discuss strategies to determine the optimum choice for the design of inner- and outer-coil and how to optimize their design in relation to the supply type used. In particular, we will consider energy-limited capacitor banks and power-limited supplies. The approach will use scaling arguments and modeling tools as the PMDS package originally developed in Leuven. Optimization of coil systems is demonstrated with practical examples, such as the successful 87 T pulsed dual coil system in Dresden, and the design of the future ‘ARMS’ successor in Toulouse