SUPERCONDUCTIVITY IN THE 1990's New Technologies for Energy Utilization

Superconducting magnets, coils or windings are the basis for a range of major applications in the energy area such as energy storage in superconducting coils, magnets for fusion research, and rotating machinery [1-51. Other major applications of superconductivity include high energy physics where 1000 superconducting magnets are operated continuously in the Tevatron at Fermilab in Illinois, over 12,000 superconducting magnets will be required for the still larger Superconducting Super Collider being built near Dallas [6]. The largest commercial application of superconductors is in magnets for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - a new medical diagnostic imaging technique with about 2,000 systems installed worldwide These form a sizable technology base on which to evaluate and push forward applications such as Magnetohydrodynamic Propulsion of seagoing vessels. The attractiveness of which depends intimately on the characteristics of the superconducting magnet. The "magnet" itself is a combination of several technology areas - the conductors, magnetics, structures and cryogenics. This paper will briefly review state-of-the-art in each of the technology areas as they relate to superconductors. The intent of the paper is to selectively illustrate rather than cover all applications. Unique approaches have been used in several applications to achieve desired results. 171.