Current distribution in a composite superconducting system by means of an equivalent circuit model based on a smooth E-J equivalent material characteristic

A numerical model to calculate current and losses distribution inside a multifilamentary superconducting strand, when AC transport current and AC magnetic field are applied, is presented. The model is based on the equivalent circuit network derived from the magneto-quasi-static form of Maxwell equations and takes into account the superconducting material properties by defining a continuous non-linear anisotropic relation which applies for any point of the composite strand. In order to reduce the number of equations of the solving system an algebraic algorithm is applied. Some cases for which an analytical solution is available are examined. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.