Speaker
Description
OpenStar Technologies Ltd. is advancing fusion research through the development of a levitated dipole reactor inspired by the Levitated Dipole Experiment (LDX). The reactor design includes two main magnet components: a suspended, doughnut-shaped high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet at the chamber's center, and a top magnet above the chamber to maintain stable magnetic levitation.
All technologies behind the coil design—ranging from advanced winding techniques, superconducting materials, and joint resistance methods—were developed in-house at OpenStar. To support this work, a widely applicable testing facility has been essential during the development, validation, and quality assurance of the magnets and their components.
Key applications of this testing facility include:
- Individual ReBCO HTS Sample Testing: Testing joint resistance, current leads, and material performance.
- Coil Evaluation: Testing coils in various configurations, from small R&D coils to 1-meter-diameter production coils, both insulated and no-insulation types.
Custom Vacuum Chambers: Specialized chambers for testing different magnet designs and cooling methods.
- Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) and Cryogenic Testing: Optimized for testing the 14 ReBCO coils within the levitated dipole reactor under operational cryogenic conditions.
- In-house Electronics: Custom electronics and instrumentation for real-time monitoring and data collection during testing.
This presentation will showcase the testing facility’s role in quality assurance, particularly in evaluating the performance and reliability of each ReBCO coil before integration into the levitated magnet system. It will highlight the use of our 1.2-meter vacuum chamber, which facilitates rapid, iterative conduction-cooled testing of fully assembled magnets. This capability allows for quick issue detection and resolution, significantly accelerating the overall development process.
Additionally, the presentation will cover new testing capabilities being added to meet the demands of next-generation fusion magnets. New test facilities are being designed to:
- Handle complex magnet geometries and configurations.
- Support levitation stability and control testing with a new customized vacuum chamber for suspended magnets.
- Validate quench detection and tolerance in magnet designs.
- Enable strain and stress measurement.
- Automate testing for faster, repeatable quality assurance.
By expanding our testing infrastructure, OpenStar will reduce development time and enable simultaneous, faster testing of all magnet system components.
