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At least 73 records · Page 4

Field sampling fine-vacuum system

Small portable pumping station, consisting of roughing pump, air cooled diffusion pump, and liquid nitrogen cold trap, permits onsite sampling followed by quantitative laboratory analysis of residual gases.

Fickey, E. W.↗

Design and fabrication of a basic mass analyzer and vacuum system

A two-inch hyperbolic rod quadrupole mass analyzer with a mass range of 400 to 200 amu and a sensitivity exceeding 100 packs per billion has been developed and tested. This analyzer is the basic hardware portion of a microprocessor-controlled quadrupole mass spectrometer for a Gas Analysis and Detection System (GADS). The development and testing of the hyperbolic-rod quadrupole mass spectrometer and associated hardware are described in detail.

Judson, C. M.↗

High temperature substrate heater for use in high and ultra-high vacuum systems

A braze-free substrate heating device including a heater block body, a heater block lid, and a heating element. The heating element sits inside the heater block body. The heater block lid is on the heating element, such that the heating element is sandwiched between the heater block lid and the floor of the heater block body. The heating element is held in place by compressing the heater block lid into the heater block body and attaching the heater block lid to the top of the heater block body so that the heating element is fully supported over its surface area, and can maintain uniform thermal contact with the heater block lid and heater block body over its entire surface area.

Dowden, Paul↗

Optics and Systems Design of the Ring-to-Second Target Transport Beam-Line for the SNS Second Target Station

The Second Target Station (STS) project at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) is being developed to provide world-leading cold neutron brightness for next-generation neutron scattering experiments. The STS Accelerator Systems (AS) scope includes the design and implementation of the Ring-to-Second Target (RTST) proton beam transport line, which extracts 1.3 GeV proton beam pulses from the existing Ring-to-Beam Transport (RTBT) system and delivers them to the STS target. The RTST design emphasizes operational reliability [high reliability], low activation [minimum activation of components and the tunnel], maintainability, and compatibility with existing SNS infrastructure through extensive reuse of proven RTBT systems and components. The beamline includes a new extraction region, a transport lattice consisting of dipole, quadrupole, and corrector magnets, beam instrumentation systems, vacuum systems, personnel protection systems, and radiation shielding systems. Beam optics and particle tracking studies were performed using PyORBIT to validate extraction trajectories, beam transport, and target beam spot requirements [60–90 cm² beam spot area]. This paper presents the optics design philosophy, extraction system architecture, transport lattice design, instrumentation strategy, vacuum system approach, and radiation protection integration for the RTST beamline. Particle tracking simulations indicate successful beam transport without beam loss under nominal operating conditions. The RTST is designed to transport 1.3 GeV proton beam pulses at repetition rates up to 15 Hz, delivering nominal beam power of 700 kW to the Second Target Station.

Baron, Alex [ORNL]↗

Facility for interferometric testing of 1.25-m mirrors at liquid helium temperatures

A concept is presented for a national cryogenic optics test facility capable of optical characterization of 1.25 m diameter optics having focal lengths up to 6.2 m at temperatures from 300 K to near 4 K. The facility will be comprised of a large Dewar with a phase shift interferometer, a two stage vacuum system employing a turbomolecular pump, and an integral vibration isolation system. The entire facility will be housed in a concrete site with a massive floor to assist in reducing vibration during optical tests. By providing interchangeable sections, the overall height of the Dewar can be adjusted to provide for testing of shorter focal length optics. The background for the facility is discussed along with the facility location, and the requirements and the performance considerations which drive the Dewar design with respect to the vibration isolation system, vacuum system, and optical interferometry.

Salerno, Louis J.↗

Facility for interferometric testing of 1.25-m mirrors at liquid helium temperatures

A concept is presented for a national cryogenic optics test facility capable of optical characterization of 1.25 m diameter optics having focal lengths up to 6.2 m at temperatures from 300 K to near 4 K. The facility will be comprised of a large Dewar with a phase shift interferometer, a two-stage vacuum system employing a turbomolecular pump, and an integral vibration isolation system. The entire facility will be housed in a concrete site with a massive floor to assist in reducing vibration during optical tests. By providing interchangeable sections, the overall height of the Dewar can be adjusted to provide for testing of shorter focal length optics. The background for the facility is discussed along with the facility location, and the requirements and the performance considerations which drive the Dewar design with respect to the vibration isolation system, vacuum system, and optical interferometry.

Salerno, Louis J.↗

Scale-Up of Friction Self-piercing Riveting Process for Multi-material Joints

A single-class joining process known as “friction self-piercing riveting (F-SPR)” has been developed for joining various low-ductility lightweight materials on a laboratory scale. The frictional heat generated during the F-SPR process improved local ductility, resulting in crack-free joints and robust mechanical performance. This innovative joining technology was further advanced through the scale-up of the process using a new system with several key features (e.g., automatic rivet feeding and clamping system, vacuum system) toward industry readiness. The new integrated F-SPR systems were effectively demonstrated for joining different material combinations (e.g., carbon fiber composite to 7075 Al alloy, 7075 Al alloy to 7075 Al alloy, and 7075 Al alloy to casting Al Aural 5) with a unified technique. Crack-free joint with adequate mechanical interlocking resulted in good mechanical joint strength for each material combination. Then, the process was successfully scaled up by producing multiple joints without any cracks on larger CFC-Al and Al-Al components by the new integrated system, bringing it closer to industrial application.

Lim, Yong Chae [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000321773988)↗

Stainless Steel NaK-Cooled Circuit (SNaKC) Fabrication and Assembly

An actively pumped Stainless Steel NaK Circuit (SNaKC) has been designed and fabricated by the Early Flight Fission Test Facility (EFF-TF) team at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. This circuit uses the eutectic mixture of sodium and potassium (NaK) as the working fluid building upon the experience and accomplishments of the SNAP reactor program from the late 1960's The SNaKC enables valuable experience and liquid metal test capability to be gained toward the goal of designing and building an affordable surface power reactor. The basic circuit components include a simulated reactor core a NaK to gas heat exchanger, an electromagnetic (EM) liquid metal pump, a liquid metal flow meter, an expansion reservoir and a drain/fill reservoir To maintain an oxygen free environment in the presence of NaK, an argon system is utilized. A helium and nitrogen system are utilized for core, pump, and heat exchanger operation. An additional rest section is available to enable special component testing m an elevated temperature actively pumped liquid metal environment. This paper summarizes the physical build of the SNaKC the gas and pressurization systems, vacuum systems, as well as instrumentation and control methods.

Godfroy, Thomas J.↗

Thermal Vacuum Control Systems Options for Test Facilities

This presentation suggests several Thermal Vacuum System (TVAC) control design approach methods for TVAC facilities. Over the past several years many aerospace companies have or are currently upgrading their TVAC testing facilities whether it be by upgrading old equipment or purchasing new. In doing so they are updating vacuum pumping and thermal capabilities of their chambers as well as their control systems. Although control systems are sometimes are considered second to the vacuum or thermal system upgrade process, they should not be taken lightly and must be planned and implemented with the equipment it is to control. Also, emphasis should be placed on how the operators will use the system as well as the requirements of "their" customers. Presented will be various successful methods of TVAC control systems from Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) based to personal computer (PC) based control.

Marchetti, John↗

Final Design of Vacuum Pumping Systems for the Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment

The Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (MPEX) vacuum pumping system is responsible for creating prototypic conditions in the plasma material interaction chamber that mimic those in a fusion reactor divertor region. Additionally, the vacuum system needs to minimize the pressure in the plasma heating region to improve the coupling of the electron cyclotron heating and ion cyclotron heating to the plasma, minimizing waste heat exhausted to high heat flux components. Here, the final design of the system has been sized to comply with the vacuum pump operating environment and to reduce the number of unique pumps required while meeting performance requirements. Bounding cases with and without the plasma present have been developed in the pumping analysis, and an initial calculation has been performed based on the plasma pumping identified in Proto-MPEX operation though this result will remain unverified until MPEX operation.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Test stand system for vacuum chambers

A test stand system for supporting test items in a vacuum chamber is described. The system consists of a frame adapted to conform to the inside of the vacuum chamber and supporting a central vertical shaft. The shaft rotates on bearings located at each end of the shaft. Several vertically spaced plates which fixed to the vertical shaft may be adjusted for height to support the test equipment as required. The test equipment may be rotated during tests without disturbing the vacuum by a manually actuated drive external to the vacuum chamber.

Newman, D. F.↗