Research on temperature rise characteristics of high-power pulse inductor for vertical field power supply of TT-1 device

Background The pulse inductor is a key component in the magnet power supply system of a tokamak, where it is mainly used to regulate the output current waveform to satisfy the magnetic field control requirements during plasma discharge.

Purpose To address the temperature-rise accumulation of the pulse inductor under high-current and repetitive pulse operation, this study establishes a temperature-rise calculation model based on the theoretical parameters and practical operating conditions of the pulse inductor, and evaluates its temperature rise and power loss.

Methods A three-dimensional finite element model of the pulse inductor is developed in Ansys to simulate and analyze its magnetic field distribution, current density distribution, and temperature field distribution. The influence of different pulse intervals on temperature-rise accumulation and heat dissipation during repetitive pulse operation is further investigated, and the thermal stability of the pulse inductor under rated operating conditions is evaluated. Temperature-rise experiments are also carried out, and the experimental results are compared with the theoretical calculation and simulation results.

Results Under the conditions of a 4.7 kA pulse current, an ambient temperature of 20 ℃, 100 consecutive pulses, and a pulse interval of 3 min, the simulated maximum temperature of the pulse inductor is 38.13 ℃, and the cumulative temperature rise is 18.12 K. The results show that the temperature rise of the pulse inductor remains within the allowable range under rated repetitive pulse conditions. In addition, the simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results in terms of variation trend, verifying the rationality of the theoretical design and the finite element model.

Conclusions The proposed temperature-rise calculation method and finite element simulation model can effectively evaluate the thermal characteristics and thermal stability of high-current pulse inductors, providing a reference for the design and reliable operation of pulse inductors used in tokamak magnet power supply systems.