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At least 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Noble Liquid Test Facility at Fermilab

The Noble Liquid Test Facility (NLTF) at Fermilab is a liquid argon detector R\&D facility open to the national and international HEP community. The facility consists of 4 permanent cryostats, ranging from 250L up to 3000L, open space for small open dewar testing, and an optical test stand facility capable of measuring the optical properties of materials and characterizing photon detectors. NLTF’s strongest advantage is its capability to provide ultra-pure LAr in a reliable manner. Its inline filters are capable of filtering all of the three biggest contaminants for standard LAr detectors, O$_2$ and H$_2$O down to $< 1$ppb and N$_2$ $< 1$ppm. This is critical for the users of the test stands as small levels of impurities can dramatically change the efficiency of LArTPCs for the collection of charge and light. The smallest cryostat is mainly used for material testing, a service provided to the international HEP community interested in understanding how the introduction of a specific material might affect the electron lifetime in LAr. The test stands can be equipped with a purity monitor, which allows measuring the electron lifetime in real time, as well as gas sampling and analyzing, and in the near future, local recirculation and filtering. The facility has hosted many successful R\&D projects, which have published their results in well-known journals and talks. A few examples of such projects are: NIR light production in LAr and GAr, the characterization of VUV metalenses, the testing of new filter media capable of filtering N$_2$ from LAr, high voltage studies and direct charge amplification in LAr, and various doping studies.

Blaszczyk, Flor María [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Analysis of scintillation light dependence on liquid Argon purity

Previous studies have investigated the correlation between impurity concentrations in Liquid Argon (LAr) and the temporal evolution of either the slow scintillation decay time or the light yield. These impurities typically consist of various molecular species. Electronegative contaminants directly affect electron drift and photon production, while other molecules, such as nitrogen (N_2),can influence LAr scintillation properties without necessarily affecting electron lifetime. Many current and future neutrino and dark-matter experiments use LAr detectors. This study aims to evaluate the measured electron lifetimes in relation to the timing characteristics of the scintillation light signal in the SBN ICARUS detector at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The ICARUS experiment consists of two cryostats that have shown some discrepancies in the measured electron lifetime over the years. In particular, this study addresses the use of data collected under varying purity conditions in the two cryostats.

Saia, Clara [Catania Astrophys. Observ.]↗
DOE OSTI2025

European Contributions to Fermilab Accelerator Upgrades and Facilities for the DUNE Experiment

The Proton Improvement Plan (PIP-II) to the FNAL accelerator chain and the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) will provide the world's most intense neutrino beam to the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) enabling a wide-ranging physics program. This document outlines the significant contributions made by European national laboratories and institutes towards realizing the first phase of the project with a 1.2 MW neutrino beam. Construction of this first phase is well underway. For DUNE Phase II, this will be closely followed by an upgrade of the beam power to > 2 MW, for which the European groups again have a key role and which will require the continued support of the European community for machine aspects of neutrino physics. Beyond the neutrino beam aspects, LBNF is also responsible for providing unique infrastructure to install and operate the DUNE neutrino detectors at FNAL and at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF). The cryostats for the first two Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber detector modules at SURF, a contribution of CERN to LBNF, are central to the success of the ongoing execution of DUNE Phase I. Likewise, successful and timely procurement of cryostats for two additional detector modules at SURF will be critical to the success of DUNE Phase II and the overall physics program. The DUNE Collaboration is submitting four main contributions to the 2026 Update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics process. This paper is being submitted to the 'Accelerator technologies' and 'Projects and Large Experiments' streams. Additional inputs related to the DUNE science program, DUNE detector technologies and R&D, and DUNE software and computing, are also being submitted to other streams.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
NASA NTRS1967

Self-aligning rod prevents eccentric loading of tensile specimens

Tensile specimens can be tested in liquid nitrogen without subjecting the cryostat to tilting during assembly of the specimen in the liquid nitrogen-filled cryostat. A universal joint with a semielliptical head and socket reduces misalignment and permits only limited side travel.

Vandergrift, E. F.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The behavior of superfluid helium in zero gravity

Studies of the behavior of superfluid helium in zero gravity including fluid distribution within the cryostat, thickness of superfluid films, and heat transfer in such films, were conducted in one gravity in the laboratory and in zero-g flights on aircraft and sounding rocket. The studies show that the bulk motions are sufficiently well damped to allow control of their effects on experiments and spacecraft attitude control systems, and that the superfluid films will be able to maintain the high degree of temperature uniformity found in laboratory superfluid helium cryostats. The presentation includes film clips of the motions on the superfluid in zero-g.

Mason, P.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Properties of large nearly perfect crystals at very low temperatures

A liquid helium cryostat of a size and construction unavailable commercially, was built for use in measuring the Q of several materials at milli-Kelvin temperatures. The design and testing of the cryostat is described as well as the design of the experiment vacuum chamber and adaptor for the dilution refrigerator insert. Theory, design, and testing are also discussed for the magnetic coils built to levitate the materials so as to isolate them and increase the measured Q. A four point suspension with capacitor end plates as the transducer was used to obtain preliminary Q measurements of 6061 aluminum alloy and single crystal silicon. Results are tabulated.

Davis, W.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Calibration of Germanium Resistance Thermometers

Largely completed thermometer-calibration cryostat and probe allows six germanium resistance thermometers to be calibrated at one time at superfluid-helium temperatures. In experiments involving several such thermometers, use of this calibration apparatus results in substantial cost savings. Cryostat maintains temperature less than 2.17 K through controlled evaporation and removal of liquid helium from Dewar. Probe holds thermometers to be calibrated and applies small amount of heat as needed to maintain precise temperature below 2.17 K.

Ladner, D.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A closed-cycle refrigerator for cooling maser amplifiers below 4 Kelvin

A helium refrigerator utilizing the Gifford-McMahon/Joule-Thomson (GM/JT) cycle was designed and tested to demonstrate the feasibility of using small closed-cycle refrigerators as an alternative to batch-filled cryostats for operating temperatures below 4 K. The systems could be used to cool low-noise microwave maser amplifiers located in large parabolic antennas. These antennas tilt vertically, making conventional liquid-filled dewars difficult to use. The system could also be used for a non-tilting beam waveguide antenna to reduce the helium consumption of a liquid helium cryostat. The prototype system is adjustable to provide 700 mW of cooling at 2.5 K to 3 W at 4.3 K. Performance of the unit is not significantly affected by physical orientation. The volume occupied by the refrigerator is less than 0.1 cu m. Two JT expansion stages are used to maximize cooling capacity per unit mass flow. The heat exchangers were designed to produce minimum pressure drop in the return gas stream. Pressure drop for the entire JT return circuit is less than 5 kpa at a mass flow of 0.06 g/sec when operating at 2.5 K.

Britcliffe, M.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Ultralow noise performance of an 8.4-GHz maser-feedhorn system

A total system noise temperature of 6.6 K was demonstrated with an 8.4-GHz traveling wave maser and feedhorn operating in a cryogenic environment. Both the maser and feedhorn were inserted in the helium cryostat, with the maser operating in the 1.6-K liquid bath and the feedhorn cooled in the helium gas, with a temperature gradient along the horn ranging from the liquid bath temperature at its lower end to room temperature at its top. The ruby maser exhibited 43 dB of gain with a bandwidth of 76 MHz(-3 dB) centered at 8400 MHz. Discussions of the maser, cooled feedhorn, and cryostat designs are presented along with a discussion of the noise temperature measurements.

Johnson, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Space Cryogenic Workshop, 8th, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, July 31, Aug. 1, 1989, Proceedings

Recent advances in cryogenic technology for space applications are examined in reviews and reports. Topics addressed include very-low-force cooling contacts for the ISO cryostat cover, convective heat flow in space cryogenics plugs, liquid-acquisition devices for superfluid He transfer, and pressure drop in the SHOOT superfluid-He acquisition system. Consideration is given to a liquid-He vibration cryostat for space qualification tests, closed-cycle coolers for temperatures below 30 K, stress analysis down to liquid-He temperature, a cryogenic valve actuator, and a spaceborne He-3 refrigerator. Also discussed are an adiabatic-demagnetization refrigerator for SIRTF, rejection of waste heat from O liquefaction operations at a lunar O production plant, SHOOT flowmeter and pressure transducers, and space qualification of the ISO cryogenic rupture disks.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1990

Cryogenics - Its influence on the selection of the ASTROMAG superconducting magnet coils

ASTROMAG, a particle astrophysics experimental facility proposed for running alongside a Space Station, has a large superconducting magnet to analyze particles coming from deep space. Several types of magnets were investigated for use in the ASTROMAG central facility. The factors which influence the selection of the magnet coil design include: (1) the upper limit of particle momentum resolved (proportional to the integrated field) as a function of solid angle; (2)cryogenic design and its effect on cryogen lifetime for a given central facility mass; and (3) the overall cost of the magnet coils and cryostat. Four magnet types are analyzed in this paper. These include a simple two-coil solenoid (the baseline design),two disk coils at the ends of the helium tank, a two-coil toroid and a thin solenoid plus bucking coil. A balance must be struck between cryostat lifetime, total mass and the integrated field through the detectors. This balance tends to favor coils which are in the same vacuum vessel as the cryogen.

Green, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Development of a relatchable cover mechanism for a cryogenic IR-sensor

A cover mechanism for use on the Infrared Background Signature Survey (IBSS) cryostat was developed. The IBSS IR-instrument is scheduled for STS launch in early 1991 as a payload of the Shuttle Payload Satellite (SPS) 2. The cover is hinged, with a motorized rope drive. During ground processing, launch, entry, and landing, the cryostat, which houses the IR-instrument, is required to be a sealed vacuum tight container for cooling purposes and contamination prevention. When on orbit, the cover is opened to provide an unobstructed field of view for the IR-instrument. A positive seal is accomplished through the use of latch mechanism. The cover and the latch are driven by a common redundant actuator consisting of dc motors, spur gears, and a differential gear. Hall probe limit switches and position sensors (rotary variable transformer) are used to determine the position of the cover and the latch. The cover mechanism was successfully qualified for thermal vacuum (-25 to 35 C), acoustic noise, vibration (6 Gs sine, 9.7 G RMS) and life cycles. Constricting requirements, mechanical and electronic control design, specific design details, test results of functional performance, and environmental and life tests are described.

Birner, R.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The Precision Segmented Reflector program - On-orbit thermal behavior of the Submillimeter Imager and Line Survey telescope

The Precision Segmented Reflector program and the Submillimeter Imager and Line Survey mission are overviewed. The temperature requirements, thermal design and environment, as well as the on-orbit thermal performance of a 3.65-m-diameter passively-cooled submillimeter-wavelength telescope are discussed, and focus is placed on the geometric and thermal mathematical models employed in the study. Attention is given to an inflatable space-rigidized sunshade protecting the primary mirror thermally and the highly elliptical orbit chosen to reduce heat input from the earth. Primary-reflector temperature predictions are shown to indicate that a large spatial gradient can exist and the magnitude of the gradient is a strong function of the telescope pitch angle. It is suggested that the cryostat outer-shell temperature may be further lowered with the introduction of a rectangular shield between a solar array and the cryostat.

Tsuyuki, G.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Joule-Thomson cryogenic cooler with extremely high thermal stability

An 80-K Joule-Thomson (J-T) cooling system designed for the Probe Infrared Laser Spectrometer (PIRLS) proposed for the Huygens Titan Probe of the Cassini Saturn orbiter mission is presented. The cryogenic cooling requirements of the PIRLS instrument are listed, and the cooler system design including details of a J-T cryostat, cold head, and dewar design is described along with the results of a thermal modeling effort and lab cooler performance testing. It is shown that by using active feedback temperature control of the cold head in combination with the self-regulating action of the J-T cryostat, a temperature stability of less than 0.1 mK/min is achieved by the cooler weighting 1.8 kg.

Bard, Steven↗
NASA NTRS1990

A compact 2.5-Kelvin closed-cycle refrigerator

A helium refrigerator utilizing the Gifford-McMahon/Joule-Thomson cycle was designed and tested to demonstrate the feasibility of using small closed-cycle refrigerators as an alternative to batch filled-cryostats for operating temperatures below 4 K. The systems could be used to cool low-noise microwave maser amplifiers located in large parabolic antennas. These antennas tilt vertically, making conventional liquid-filled dewars difficult to use. The system could also be used for a nontilting beam waveguide antenna to reduce the helium consumption of a liquid helium cryostat. The prototype system is adjustable to provide 700 milliwatts of cooling at 2.5 K to 3 watts at 4.3 K. The performance of the unit is not significantly affected by operation in any physical orientation.

Britcliffe, Mike↗
NASA NTRS1991

Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) telescope overview

The Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) will be the first true infrared observatory in space, building upon the technical and scientific experience gained through its two NASA survey-oriented predecessors: the Infrared Astronomical Satellite and the Cosmic Background Explorer. During its minimum five year lifetime, the SIRTF will perform pointed scientific observations at wavelengths from 1.8 to 1200 microns with an increase in sensitivity over previous missions of several orders of magnitude. This paper discusses a candidate design for the SIRTF telescope, encompassing optics, cryostat, and instrument accommodation, which has been undertaken to provide a fulcrum for the development of functional requirements, interface definition, risk assessment and cost. The telescope optics employ a baffled Ritchey-Chretien Cassegrain system with a 1-m class primary mirror, an active secondary mirror, and a stationary facetted tertiary mirror. The optics are embedded in a large superfluid He cryostat designed to maintain the entire telescope-instrument system at temperatures below 3 K.

Schember, Helene↗
NASA NTRS1983

The 0.1K bolometers cooled by adiabatic demagnetization

The most straightforward way of reducing the noise equivalent power of bolometers is to lower their operating temperature. We have been exploring the possibility of using conventionally constructed bolometers at ultra-low temperatures to achieve NEP's suitable to the background environment of cooled space telescopes. We have chosen the technique of adiabatic demagnetization of a paramagnetic salt as a gravity independent, compact, and low power way to achieve temperatures below pumped He-3 (0.3 K). The demagnetization cryostat we used was capable of reaching temperatures below 0.08 K using Chromium Potassium Alum as a salt from a starting temperature of 1.5 K and a starting magnetic field of 30,000 gauss. Computer control of the magnetic field decay allowed a temperature of 0.2 K to be maintained to within 0.5 mK over a time period exceeding 14 hours. The refrigerator duty cycle was over 90 percent at this temperature. The success of these tests has motivated us to construct a more compact portable adiabatic demagnetization cryostat capable of bolometer optical tests and use at the 5m Hale telescope at 1mm wavelengths.

Roellig, T.↗