Sergey Egorov Lost his Battle with Cancer
July 22, 2013 (PO20). Sergey Egorov passed away on March 24, 2013, after a one-year long battle with cancer. He was born on March 1, 1948 in Leningrad, USSR, which remained his hometown until end. Studies at the Leningrad Polytechnical Institute (now Saint-Petersburg State Polytechnical University) provided an excellent basis for the future carrier and scientific growth of Sergey as one of the leaders of the applied superconductivity in Russia. At the same time the streets of Leningrad remember the rustling of tires when the cyclist Egorov rushed to victories in student bicycle races. This hobby developed the qualities of a fighter, which armed Sergey for all future projects.

Sergei Egorov graduated as electrophysics engineer, and his all carrier was linked with the D.V. Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus (NIIEFA). His start there in 1972 coincided with the beginning of the development of applied superconductivity at the Efremov Institute. His early activity contributed to the positive outcome of the design and manufacture of the combined solenoid КС-250 (1975) with the record 25 T magnetic field, the 1.2 m in diameter solenoid “Giperon” (1978, with the magnetic field of 6 T and stored energy of 24 MJ) and other superconducting devices.

Sergey received his PhD in 1984 and the degree of Doctor of Science in 2006, both from the Efremov Institute. Last thirty years his professional activity was focused on supporting analysis and R&D of different superconducting magnet systems, mostly for superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) and tokamak reactors. As a project leader or an expert Sergey Egorov took parts in many international projects including tasks for MIT (USA), BWXT (USA), Jefferson Lab (USA), GHMFL (France), Ansaldo (Italia), DESY (Germany) etc. Sergey was a participant of L-star detector (SSC, USA, 1991), INTOR and ITER projects. In the frame of the ITER activity he was well known as an expert on AC-loss and stability analysis of superconductors. The valuable achievements of his activity included:

• Development of the design concept of fast discharge 0.2 Hz pulse repetition rate epoxy impregnated SMES units. Up to now the pilot sample of these SMES is demonstrated in the Efremov Institute Museum.
• Cost/efficiency optimization technique for SMES of various configurations and purposes. As a successful application of this technique, the charging magnet (2006) with 12.5 MJ stored energy for the floating coil of the joint Columbia University/MIT Levitated Dipole Experiment (LDX) experiment could be mentioned.
• Development of the AC-loss and stability calculation techniques for the composite strands and superconductors including ITER scale cable-in-conduit conductor (CICC). The Russian Federation’s largest experimental stand for the test and investigation of superconducting strands, cables, CICC and different kind magnets is the evidence of Egorov success in this field.
• Development of semi-empirical techniques for CICC stability analysis, design of test specimens and generalization of the experimental data contributed to ample success in the manufacturing and test of the ITER Toroidal Field Conductor Insert (TFCI). During testing at JAEA (Japan) the TF CICC demonstrated the world record of the operation with 46 kA current in 13 T magnetic field without degradation of stability margins.

Egorov headed the Superconducting Magnet Systems Department of the Efremov Institute for many years. Thanks to him the laboratories of that Department provide a wide range of possibilities for scientific and engineering studies in the field of the low- and high-temperature superconductivity (LTS and HTS). The PF-1 coil of the ITER poloidal system, the LTs solenoid and dipoles for different application, various LTS and HTS SMESs, HT superconducting current limiters, high-voltage insulating units for the cryogenic application, related stability, mechanical and thermal computation techniques are the incomplete list of the department activities which started and progressed under Sergey’s control and supervision.< p/>

He was a very creative man. His colleagues appreciated his experience, deep and broad knowledge as well as friendship and sense for humor. He loved life… All his friends remember the parties where poetry was recited and songs sung or collective gathering of edible mushrooms in the woods, with a lot of fun and chatting. All that gave Sergey necessary relaxation and energy to start new and new projects.

Sergey Egorov was author or co-author of about 100 publications. In his last years he successfully combined research activity with teaching load. He was appointed Professor of Saint Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation and read several training courses on nanotechnology and technical superconductivity. A lot of students owe him the necessary basis to start their carriers of scientist or engineer.

Since 1997 Sergey was a member of the Board of International Advisory Editors of Cryogenics. His professional reviewing helped many authors to publish important scientific and engineering results

Sergey left behind a wife who supported him in the fight with the awful disease, and friends who will remember him and strive to finish projects that were Sergey’s lifeworks. Let his memory be eternal

Igor Rodin & colleagues, NIIEFA