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At least 523 records · Page 29

Online accelerator optimization with a machine learning-based stochastic algorithm

Abstract Online optimization is critical for realizing the design performance of accelerators. Highly efficient stochastic optimization algorithms are needed for many online accelerator optimization problems in order to find the global optimum in the non-linear, coupled parameter space. In this study, we propose to use the multi-generation Gaussian process optimizer for online accelerator optimization and demonstrate that the algorithm is significantly more efficient than other stochastic algorithms that are commonly used in the accelerator community.

Zhang, Zhe (ORCID:0000000281430381)↗

Electron-Ion Collider Design Status

The Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) is being designed for construction at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Activities have been focused on beam-beam simulations, polarization studies, and beam dynamics, as well as on maturing the layout and lattice design of the constituent accelerators and the interaction region. The latest design advances will be presented.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Novel Magnetron Operation and Control Methods for Superconducting RF Accelerators

High power magnetrons designed and optimized for industrial heating, being injection-locked, have been suggested to power superconducting RF cavities for accelerators due to lower cost and higher efficiency. However, standard operation methods do not provide high efficiency with wideband control suppressing microphonics. We have developed and experimentally verified novel methods of operating and controlling the magnetron that provide stable RF generation with higher efficiency and lower noise than other RF sources. By our method the magnetrons operate with the anode voltage notably lower than the self-excitation threshold improving its performance. This is also a promising way to increase tube reliability and longevity. A magnetron operating with the anode voltage lower than the self-excitation threshold, in so-called stimulated coherent generation mode has special advantage for pulse operation with a gated injection-locking signal. This eliminates the need for expensive pulsed HV modulators and additionally increases the magnetron RF source efficiency due to absence of losses in HV modulators.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Summary of Jefferson Lab LDRD on FFA@CEBAF Beam Dynamics Simulations

As Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab) looks toward the future, we are considering expanding our energy reach by using Fixed-Field Alternating Gradient (FFA) technology. Significant efforts have been made to design a hybrid accelerator which combines conventional recirculating electron LINAC design with permanent magnet-based FFA technology to increase the number of beam recirculations, and thus the energy. In an effort to further this progress, Jefferson Lab awarded a Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) grant to focus not on the design, but on detailed simulations of the designs created by the larger collaboration. This document will summarize the work performed during this LDRD, and direct the reader to other proceedings which describe elements of the work in greater detail.

Deitrick, K.↗

Radiation Shielding Analysis for the PIP-II Linac at Fermilab

The Proton Improvement Plan-II (PIP-II) [1] has been developed at Fermilab to provide powerful proton beams to the laboratory’s experiments. An 800-MeV superconducting linear accelerator—a centerpiece of the project—is currently under construction in Batavia, Illinois (USA). After completion, the superconducting linac will be the starting point for the 1.2 MW (Phase 1) and 2.4-MW (Phase 2) proton beam that is needed for the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) at Fermilab [2]. Due to unavoidable loss of a fraction of the beam in the accelerator components, a certain level of radiation will be generated in the accelerator tunnel both during normal operation and at accidents. This work deals with radiation shielding design for the accelerator facility.

Rakhno, Igor↗

Accelerator physics at NSLS-II: research accomplishments in 2020

NSLS-II accelerator physicists provide scientific support for user operations, as well as for improvements and developments of the accelerator systems. This work includes optimization of the NSLS-II performance with high beam current and low vertical emittance, improvement of the beam stability, development of new software tools for operations and beam studies. The accelerator physicists productively worked on a number of research activities such as the conceptual design of NSLS-II accelerator upgrade; design and optimization of advanced low-emittance lattices; development of novel methods to study nonlinear beam dynamics; ultrafast electron diffraction and microscopy. The physicists also contributed to the BNL electron-ion collider project, to the APS and ALS upgrade projects. Research accomplishments achieved in 2020, are summarized in this report.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Advanced manufacturing for electrosynthesis of fuels and chemicals from CO 2

Advanced manufacturing (AM) represents an appealing approach for creating novel electrochemical systems for chemicals synthesis. In this work, we demonstrate AM for rapid development and testing for improved performance for the carbon dioxide reduction reaction across an evolution of vapor-fed reactor designs. In our final design, we observe activation- and mixed-control regimes for a variety of operating conditions via inlet CO 2 flow rate and electrochemical potential. Furthermore, we define a dimensionless number (Da) to identify mass transport regimes by exploring the impact of hypothesized underlying mass transport mechanisms, including consumption of CO 2 via OH - , increased local temperatures, and partial penetration of electrolyte into gas diffusion layer. The accelerated pace of reactor design and development led to high geometric current densities (500 mA cm -2 ), heightened selectivity (85.5% FE C 2+ products), and increased carbon dioxide conversion (16.6%) and cathodic energy efficiency (49.6% CO 2 R). Using AM vapor-fed reactors, we attain high ethylene (3.67%) and record ethanol (3.66%) yields compared to the literature. Finally, this work underscores the promise of AM for accelerating reactor design, understanding of governing phenomena, and improving the performance of catalytic systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Bunch Shaping in Electron Linear Accelerators

Modern electron linear accelerators are often designed to produce smooth bunch distributions characterized by their macroscopic ensemble-average moments. However, an increasing number of accelerator applications call for finer control over the beam distribution, such as by requiring specific shapes for its projection along one coordinate. Ultimately, the control of the beam distribution at the single-particle level could enable new opportunities in accelerator science. This review discusses the recent progress toward controlling electron beam distributions on the “mesoscopic” scale with an emphasis on shaping the beam or introducing complex correlations required for some applications. This review emphasizes experimental and theoretical developments of electron-bunch shaping methods based on bounded external electromagnetic fields or via interactions with the self-generated velocity and radiation fields.

Ha, G.↗

Small Punch Testing of Molybdenum-99 Targets

Northstar Medical Radioisotopes is developing an accelerator-based method to produce 99 Mo, which is a parent isotope of the commonly used 99m Tc medical isotope. The Mo targets being designed for the accelerator will be produced from enriched 100 Mo, also known as aMo . Pressed and sintered powder feedstock is used to fabricate aMo targets, producing 29 mm disk-shaped targets. The targets are subjected to 1–6 days in line of an electron beam with subsequent dissolution of the disk to retain the 99 Mo, which decays to 99m Tc at radio-pharmacies. The press and sinter method is advantageous because the inherent porosity produced by this method enables increased surface area and therefore increased flow of dissolution media, decreasing the dissolution time and reducing the need for a highly acidic media. Although porosity aids in dissolution, it reduces the mechanical strength and ductility. Targets require good mechanical integrity when subjected to the conditions in the accelerator. Therefore, Northstar is seeking methods to rapidly test disk samples after fabrication to assure mechanical performance metrics are achieved. This report details the design and testing of a small punch test (SPT) that accommodates the 29 mm disk. Initial data were used to relate the SPT data to tensile properties, such as the yield strength (YS), ultimate tensile strength (UTS), and total elongation to failure. Although the SPT has been established as a somewhat reliable method for testing metallic materials, few studies have applied the SPT to refractory materials such as Mo. Based on tensile testing performed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on different Mo samples, correlation between the Mo tensile and SPT properties could be performed, establishing a standard calibration that could be applied to other Mo samples. To test the efficacy of the SPT with Mo, multiple different disk batches were fabricated under different conditions (e.g., pressure, lubricant) with commercially available pure Mo powder. Generally, only a UTS could be well defined because the press and sinter disks failed under brittle fracture, making it difficult to determine the YS and elongation. Compared with disks fabricated with aMo powder, the aMo samples underperformed their pure nat Mo counterparts. This report summarizes the current status of the SPT, but further evaluation is needed before it can be applied as a reliable quality assurance tool.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

Highly accelerated life testing (HALT): A review from a statistical perspective

Despite its use in one form or another for at least four decades, HALT and related techniques [e.g., highly accelerated-stress screening (HASS) and stress audits (HASA)] are not well understood within the statistical community and remain controversial. This largely reflects a conflict in motivation between engineers, testing under harsh conditions to discover and eliminate failure modes, and statisticians, taking a more cautious approach to develop quantitative estimates of parameters such as mean time between failures (MTBF). Here, this review article will clarify HALT concepts and methods and explain where it fits within the universe of methods that involve the application of accelerating factors to compress the time required to evaluate or enhance product reliability. A major distinction is between methods such as HALT, a high-stress test-analyze-fix-test iterative process directed at improving reliability by discovering and fixing weak points in a design, and quantitative accelerated life testing (QALT), whose goal is the estimation of product life for a fixed design. We discuss methods such as physics of failure that offer some hope of bridging the gap between the qualitative nature of HALT, and purely quantitative statistical methods. We present a variety of engineering applications of HALT including metal fatigue, piping and pressure vessels, structural damage, radiation damage, and rotating machinery. We also discuss potential synergies between HALT and QALT, such as rapid identification, through HALT, of failure modes requiring quantitative analysis. For further study, extensive references to the applicable literature are provided as well as an appendix that describes related methods.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Final Physics Design of Proton Improvement Plan-II At Fermilab

This paper presents the final physics design of the Proton Improvement Plan-II (PIP-II) at Fermilab, focusing on the linear accelerator (Linac) and its beam transfer line. We address the challenges in longitudinal and transverse lattice design, specifically targeting collective effects, parametric resonances, and space charge nonlinearities that impact beam stability and emittance control. The strategies implemented effectively mitigate space charge complexities, resulting in significant improvements in beam quality -- evidenced by reduced emittance growth, lower beam halo, decreased loss, and better energy spread management. This comprehensive study is pivotal for the PIP-II project's success, providing valuable insights and approaches for future accelerator designs, especially in managing nonlinearities and enhancing beam dynamics.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

A high repetition rate millimeter wavelength accelerator for an X-ray free-electron laser

A compact collinear wakefield accelerator has been designed for an X-ray free-electron laser capable of operating at a pulse repetition rate in the tens of kilohertz. The maximum achievable accelerating gradient has been determined, with its limitation linked to beam breakup instability. The fabrication techniques for the principal components of the accelerator including wakefield generation, couplers for excess power extraction and diagnostics, focusing quadrupoles, and a novel undulator have been discussed. Results from various laboratory and beam-based tests on these components have been compared to their original design specifications and demonstrated very good agreement. A preliminary design for the XFEL has been presented, featuring a novel small-period, force-neutral, adjustable-phase undulator.

26 undulator↗

A Metallurgical Inspection Method to Assess the Damage in Performance-Limiting Nb 3 Sn Accelerator Magnet Coils

The design and production of Nb 3 Sn-based dipole and quadrupole magnets is critical for the realization of the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Nb 3 Sn superconducting coils are aimed at enhancing the bending and focusing strengths of accelerator magnets for HL-LHC and beyond. Due to the brittle nature of Nb 3 Sn, the coil fabrication steps are very challenging and require very careful QA/QC. Flaws in the Nb 3 Sn filaments may lead to quenches, and eventually, performance limitation below nominal during magnet testing. A novel inspection method, including advanced non-destructive and destructive techniques, was developed to explore the root-causes of quenches occurring in performance-limiting coils. The most relevant results obtained for MQXF coils through this innovative inspection method are presented. This approach allows for precise assessment of the physical events associated to the quenches experienced b y magnet coils, mainly occurring under the form of damaged strands with transversely broken sub-elements. Coil-slice preparation, micro-optical observations of transverse and longitudinal cross-sections, and a deep etching technique of copper will be illustrated in the present work, with a focus on the results achieved for a CERN coil from a non-conforming quadrupole magnet prototype, and two coils fabricated in the US, in the framework of the Accelerator Upgrade Project (AUP) collaboration, from two different non-conforming quadrupole magnets, respectively. The results obtained through the proposed inspection method will be illustrated.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Wireless Instrumented RB Experiment Preliminary Design and Analysis

The ability to deploy new nuclear fuels for current or future reactor concepts requires carefully designed experiments to generate data to support fuel qualification. Ideally these experiments would include state of-the-art sensing to maximize the amount of in situ data that can be collected during operation. Furthermore, advanced reactor systems can take advantage of integrated in-core sensing technologies to maximize fuel utilization, reduce unnecessary conservativism in design margins, and improve operator’s understanding of limiting peaking factors. Before any novel sensing technologies can be readily adopted for nuclear applications, they must first demonstrate acceptable performance in test reactors. This report summarizes the preliminary design and analysis of the most highly instrumented irradiation experiment ever performed in the removable beryllium (RB) positions of the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The Wireless Instrumented RB Experiment 2021 (WIRE-21) will test a wide range of sensors including wireless sensors being developed by Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC) that could provide in situ measurements of peak fuel temperatures and fuel rod pressurization due to fission gas release. The ability to wirelessly transmit a signal through the fuel rod’s cladding is critical to improving fuel monitoring capabilities without requiring signal penetrations through the cladding pressure boundary, which would significantly impact fuel fabrication, handling, and operation. Other sensors that will be tested in WIRE-21 include an array of thermocouples, self-powered neutron detectors (SPNDs), and spatially distributed fiber-optic temperature sensors. More generally, WIRE-21 will establish a flexible irradiation vehicle design to allow accelerated, economical testing of advanced sensor technologies while leveraging the extremely high neutron flux that is available in HFIR. This report summarizes the mechanical design for WIRE-21, the experimental test matrix, initial neutronic and thermal design analyses, and the active monitoring and control system enhancements necessary to support testing of advanced sensor technologies. The containment for WIRE-21 is similar to previous RB irradiation vehicles but includes a few modifications, most notably the use of integrated compression seals to pass a larger number of sensor leads through the experiment’s pressure boundary. In addition to the sensor leads, inert gas lines are passed into the experiment to enable active temperature control and the ability to pneumatically actuate a bellows-driven pressure sensor. WIRE-21 is targeting temperatures (300–350°C) and neutron fluence levels (~10 22 n/cm 2 ) relevant to light water reactors (LWRs), but the flexible design of the experiment vehicle allows much higher operating temperatures (>1,100°C). Neutronic calculations determine the neutron flux conditions as well as the nuclear heating within the experiments. These results are used as inputs to detailed thermal finite element calculations, which are required to evaluate the complex, three-dimensional heat transfer that occurs within WEC’s wireless sensor enclosures. Initial results show that the temperatures of the sensors’ enclosures and the metal bellows can be operated near the temperature range of LWR coolants and cladding while simultaneously increasing the temperature of a surrogate fuel material to values in the range of 800–1200°C to simulate centerline fuel temperatures during LWR operation.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Final Physics Design of Proton Improvement Plan-II at Fermilab

This paper presents the final physics design of the Proton Improvement Plan-II (PIP-II) at Fermilab, focusing on the linear accelerator (Linac) and its beam transfer line. We address the challenges in longitudinal and transverse lattice design, specifically targeting collective effects, parametric resonances, and space charge nonlinearities that impact beam stability and emittance control. The strategies implemented effectively mitigate space charge complexities, resulting in significant improvements in beam quality—evidenced by reduced emittance growth, lower beam halo, decreased loss, and better energy spread management. This comprehensive study is pivotal for the PIP-II project's success, providing valuable insights and approaches for future accelerator designs, especially in managing nonlinearities and enhancing beam dynamics.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗