Magnet is a Mighty Marvel

The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory’s 45 tesla hybrid magnet is the strongest magnet of its kind in the world and the only one at the laboratory featured in the Guinness Book of World Records. It weighs 35 tons and requires 400 liters of chilled water per second to keep it cool. Most of the space in this two-story instrument is taken up by the parts required to keep the superconducting magnet very cold -- it's kept at -456 degrees Fahrenheit.

The magnet is connected to a closed system of pipes and machines that continually make and recycle 2,800 liters of liquid helium, pumping it around the magnet to keep it running. Even when not in use this magnet is kept cold: If it warms up to room temperature, it takes at least six weeks to cool it back down to operating temperature. Cold water is also needed – about 4,000 gallons every minute – to keep the resistive part from overheating. One of only a handful of hybrids in the world, this mighty marvel is in wide demand among scientists across the globe. Its superconducting portion contains enough copper wiring for 80 average homes. When operating a full field, it costs about $4,000 an hour.

Credit: Florida State University