Test VLPC Cryostat: Programming and Configuration of Cryogenic and Temperature Instruments
Currently, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is in the midst of a site wide upgrade. Here at D-Zero, one of the components of this upgrade will be the construction of two 48 cassette VLPC cryostats which will be the heart of the new magnetic central fiber tracker. A VLPC or Visible Light Photon Counter is a device that allows physicists to more accurately calculate the origins of particles ejected during a proton - anti-proton collision in the detector. Inside the detector is an optical fiber barrel which surrounds the collision point. When an ejected particle strikes a fiber the result is the release of photons which travel along the fiber until they reach the bottom of a cassette hitting the VLPC chip. These impacts result in voltages which are read by the VLPC chips and sent to the computer for future analysis. From these voltages, physicists can determine the origins of the particles, their charges, their speeds and other information as well. Within the last few months a test VLPC bas been built at D-Zero. This VLPC is comprised of four rectangular cassettes each equipped with heating elements, RTDs and 1024 VLPC chips. This particular configuration is unique here at Fermilab. Other VLPC cryostats that have been built were usually cylindrical in their geometry. The purpose of this test VLPC is to have on hand a reliable model to aid in understanding the complexities involved in running such devices at approximately 10K, as well as to prepare for the eventual 48 cassette VLPCs to come. In particular, an important aspect of this test phase is to check the engineering involved so that the final cryostats are designed correctly. Also, this test cryostat will enable us to check each of the cassettes to be used in the final cryostat and correct any problems before hand. This engineering note has been written in order to describe the setup of the VLPC as it pertains to the programming, configuration and control of all of the cryogenic and temperature instruments. These instruments include the two pneumatic valves, the pressure transmitter, heating elements of the cassettes, and the various RIDs scattered throughout.
- Research Organization:
- Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-07CH11359
- OSTI ID:
- 1032127
- Report Number(s):
- FERMILAB-D0-EN-470; TRN: US1200492
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Lab 3 Cryogenic System 4 Cassette VLPC Test Cryostat I/O & Controls
Heat transfer design and performance of a helium cryostat operating at 6.5 K