What is the equation to calculate the energy stored in a superconductor when you apply a current. I’ve been looking it up and have been getting contradicting results.
Superconductors aren't special here. Currents in a circuit create a magnetic field, and that field can store energy. Generally we calculate it based on the inductance present.
(The only difference between a regular inductor and a superconductor is that the current will eventually decay in the first, so that all the energy is lost).
You need to know the current and the inductance. For solenoids, you can calculate the inductance from the geometry of the coils.
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/indeng.html#c2
I noticed in some formulas given online that number of turns in the solenoid is included. Let’s say you have a number of separate superconductors (2 for example) with current in them. If the equation does involve number of coil turns, would 2 superconductors near each other qualify as two turns in the formula? Or would each individual superconductors energy have to be calculated separately and added together.
If the solenoids are very near each other, then the simple formula for the inductance of one would be invalid. They might interact in a way that reduces the inductance. Best would be to keep them apart and treat them as separate (ideal) inductors.
