Varistors: A Useful Tool for Superconducting Magnet Quench Protection

A perfect varistor is a constant voltage resistor as function of current through the resistor. can't exist, because its resistance would be infinite at zero current. In electronic devices, varistors are often used surge protectors. can in place an ordinary discharge across superconducting coil sections. When this way, integral I 2 dt during reduced by almost one third. for quench protection coils that coupled to shorted secondary circuits much more. This key factor when densities and stored energies high many potential HTS magnet systems. paper discusses types commercially available their characteristics.