Qualification of a 40 kA Nb/sub 3/Sn superconducting conductor for NET/ITER coils

A 40 kA Nb/sub 3/Sn conductor, designed to operate with forced helium flow at 4.5 K was tested in the SULTAN III facility, (I/sub max/=50 kA, B/sub max/(background)=11 T). The test sample and the operating conditions of the test facility are described. Two measurement procedures were used to investigate the conductor behaviour near the critical value: the sample current or temperature are increased up to the quench with background field and temperature or current reciprocally kept at steady state. The critical current of the conductor could be measured with the same criterion as for the basic strand (0.1 /spl mu/V/cm). The obtained results are discussed and compared with the basic strand performances. In addition some results on the behaviour of the CIC conductor are presented. >