Study of Mechanical Disturbances in Superconducting Magnets using Piezoelectric Sensors and Quench Antenna

Mechanical disturbances in superconducting magnets were studied by recording and characterising the signals induced in piezo-electric ceramic sensors (piezos) and accelerometers by spontaneous acoustic emission (AE) during magnet excitation. The localisation of AE sources as recorded by the piezos corresponds to the localisation obtained by another, indirect technique, the so-called Quench Antenna. Dominant acoustic wave velocities along the magnet were measured by using selected piezos as active actuators. A mechanical disturbance energy calibration is shown and a way to estimate the minimum energy needed for quenching is proposed. A statistical approach is given in order to estimate the most probable amplitude of AE.