Modelling porosity distributions in bulk superconductors to better assess their electrothermomechanical impact during magnetization
Résumé
The presence of microstructural defects, particularly porosity, remains a key challenge in reliable operations of REBCO bulk superconductors as trapped field magnets. In addition to reducing field homogeneity and magnitude, porosity can significantly amplify local electromagnetic and thermal stresses, thereby increasing the risk of mechanical failure during pulsed-field magnetization (PFM). This study presents a finite element framework that combines electromagnetic, thermal, and mechanical physics in order to evaluate the impact of pore distribution and size on magnetization performance, mainly by statistical tendencies. The results emphasize the necessity of incorporating realistic material variability into HTS modelling to improve predictive accuracy and guide the design of more robust superconducting magnets. References: [1] Santiago Guijosa, Kévin Berger, Frédéric Trillaud, Víctor Rolando Jara-González, Melika Hinaje. Impact of porosity on the magnitude of trapped magnetic field and mechanical stress in HTS bulks during PFM. Superconductor Science and Technology, 2025, 38 (7), 075020. ⟨10.1088/1361-6668/adedc0⟩.