Voltage-current property of two HTS tapes connected by ordinary Sn-Pb solder

The V-I property of two HTS tapes connected by ordinary Sn-Pb solder has been studied both numerically and experimentally. Two basic joint structures: “shake hand” and “pray hand” with different overlapped length are studied. By means of a Finite Element Analysis package ANSYS, not only the entire V-I curve from 0 to 2Ic can be obtained but also the detail of current distribution along the HTS tape can be simulated. The numerical approach is based on a 2D electric field analysis, where the conductivity of the HTS material is simulated in terms of a power law E-J relation. The simulated results are compared with the experimental data obtained from the commonly used four-probe method. We found that from the energy dissipation point of view, the “pray hand” structure is more appropriate for use in the high current region.