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Cryogenic Facility

There are two helium refrigerators in B902: MAGCOOL-HEUB and PAT

MAGCOOL-HEUB refrigerator
MAGCOOL-HEUB refrigerator

MAGCOOL-HEUB is a CTI Model 4000 refrigerator.  It has two reciprocating expanders and has a design capacity of 1500 W at 4.5 K.  Together with a Model 1600 Wet Expander, MAGCOOL-HEUB is the primarily source of helium liquefaction in B902.  Maximum liquefaction is ~ 320 liter per hour using both expanders and the wet expander.
PAT control panel with PLC
PAT control panel with PLC
PAT helium refrigerator is designed and built by CVI corporation using two Air Liquide turbines. The design capacity is ~1000 W at 4.5 K. It was installed in B902 for Production and Testing of magnets in 1979. For more than a decade, it has performed reliably. Reliability of the turbines deteriorated in the late 90's.
Air Liquide Turbine on PAT
Air Liquide Turbine on PAT
PAT was brought back to service with a major upgrade on instrumentation and control of the turbines funded under a BNL GPP grant. The installation effort took about one year. After test runs conducted in December 2003, PAT is used routinely with a capacity of ~ 160 Liter per hour.

 

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In the vertical test area, there are five Test Dewars for testing superconducting magnets and cable samples using pool boiling. 

Cable dewar 4
Cable dewar 4

Test Dewar 2 and 3 are dedicated for testing magnets and are 6 m (20 foot) deep.  The inner diameter is 24 inch for dewar 2.  Dewar 3 has an inner diameter of 28 inch to accommodate larger magnets such as DX or LHC D2.

Test Dewar 4, 5 and 6 are mainly dedicated for testing cable samples and are 2.7 m ( 9 foot) deep.  The inner diameter is 24 inch.  Dewar 4 and 6 are designed for 4.5 K operation.  Dewar 5 can be operated at either 4.5 or 1.8 K.

 

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In the horizontal area, magnets are being tested using supercritical forced flow at 4.5 K.  There are five stands: Bay A, B, C, D and E.   Bay C has an added feature for testing magnet in pool boiling.  Presently,

MAGCOOL test stand
MAGCOOL test stand

Bay A is used in conjunction with helium liquefaction.
Bay B is not used.
Bay C is used for testing LHC D2 magnet.
Bay D is reserved for magnets similar to that for DESY upgrade.
Bay E is reserved for RHIC magnet.

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There are three liquid helium storage:

Storage Dewar 1:      3,785 Liter (1,000 gallon)
Storage Dewar 2:      3,785 Liter (1,000 gallon)
Storage Dewar 3:    10,000 Liter (2,640 gallon, ~ 22 gal / in)

The liquid nitrogen storage is 40,000 L.

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Gas storage:

See document here

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Gas recovery system:

Under construction

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$ and Cents

In 2010 liquid helium is $5.21 per liter.  Shipping charge depends on whether it's common carrier ($1,000) or on their regular scheduled truck (about $150)

Gaseous helium trailer is $0.1354 per Cubic Foot

Liquid Nitrogen $0.0920 per liter

Liquid helium is cold (-269 degree Celsius or 4.5 K) and expensive.

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Last update on: November 04, 2010 by D. McChesney.