Contamination free helium leak detection of sensitive systems
High Technology Systems (HTS) with sensitive surfaces, such as superconducting radio frequency (SRF) accelerating cavities, polarized electron sources (PES) for accelerators and many others, are prone to degradation when subjected to particulate or hydrocarbon contaminants. Particulate contamination control of SRF cavity surfaces and vacuum components have been discussed by several authors at this contamination workshop. Hydrocarbon contamination mainly results from prolonged evacuation with conventional oil lubricated pumping systems and/or prolonged leak detection with conventional leak detectors. The sensitivity of the conventional leak detectors suffers due to the back-streaming of atmospheric helium (5 x 10{sup {minus}1} Pa) through the pumping systems and/or the trapping of helium in the O-rings and oils of the pumping systems. This reduced sensitivity leads to the use of the leak detectors over long periods of time for detecting small (1 x 10{sup {minus}10} atm. cc s{sup {minus}1}) leaks in HTS thereby exposing the sensitive surfaces to contamination. In this paper, a review of the work in progress, at Thomas Jefferson Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab), in reducing the contamination of sensitive surfaces is presented.
- Research Organization:
- Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Research (ER) (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84ER40150
- OSTI ID:
- 755830
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/40150-1477; JLAB-ACC-97-04
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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