A pulsed field magnet is a strong electromagnet that is powered by a brief pulse of electric current through its windings rather than a continuous current, producing a brief but strong pulse of magnetic field.
The principle of electromagnetic induction is used by pulsed field magnets. They are typically made up of a power supply, a capacitor bank, and a coil or electromagnet. The capacitor bank is charged by the power supply and stores electrical energy. When the desired magnetic field strength and duration are achieved, the stored energy is quickly discharged through the coil or electromagnet, resulting in a strong magnetic field pulse.
The rapid discharge of the capacitor bank creates a magnetic field by passing current through the coil or electromagnet. The strength and duration of the magnetic field pulse are determined by the pulsed field magnet’s parameters, such as the energy stored in the capacitor bank and the coil or electromagnet’s characteristics.
Pulsed field magnets can produce extremely high magnetic fields, often in the tens to hundreds of teslas range, which is much higher than what is typically achieved with continuous field magnets. This capability enables researchers and scientists to investigate and study magnetic phenomena such as magnetic properties of materials, magnetization processes, and high-energy physics experiments.
Applications
Pulsed field magnets are used in research in fields such as materials science to study the effect of strong magnetic fields because they can produce stronger fields than continuous magnets. The enormous waste heat generated in the windings by the large currents required limits the maximum field strength that continuously-powered high-field electromagnets can generate.
Stronger currents can be used and thus stronger magnetic fields can be generated by applying brief pulses of current with time between the pulses to allow the heat to dissipate. The magnetic field produced by pulsed field magnets can range from 50 to 100 T and lasts for several tens of milliseconds.
Applications of pulsed field magnets include:
- Material science research: Studying the behavior of materials under high magnetic fields can provide valuable insights into their physical properties, phase transitions, and magnetic behavior.
- High-energy physics: Pulsed field magnets are used in particle accelerators and colliders to steer and control charged particles.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): In medical imaging, pulsed field magnets are employed to generate the strong and uniform magnetic fields required for MRI scans.
- Electromagnetic launch systems: Pulsed field magnets are used in railguns and other electromagnetic launch systems to generate the strong magnetic forces required to accelerate projectiles.
