AC loss and contact resistance of different CICC cable patterns: Experiments and numerical modeling

•The AC loss and interstrand contact resistance measured on three prototype Nb3Sn Cable-In-Conduit Conductors with significantly different cabling twist pitch patterns.•Simulations, done by using the JackPot model are in fair agreement, confirming the consistency of data and allowing reliable predictions with the JackPot model.•For CICC cables, a design petal wrap coverage of 70 % should be maintained for CS cables to reduce the AC loss. A critical threshold value of void fraction exists, which makes the presence of petal wraps ineffective in reducing coupling loss.•The JackPot simulations with derived corrections for inter-petal contact resistance representing 70 % petal wrap coverage show that the Twente cable design has the lowest coupling loss.•So far, the Twente cable design seems a suitable candidate for CFETR or DEMO conductors, made of strain-sensitive strands such as Nb3Sn or other materials, for minimization of coupling loss and strand indentation.