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Title: APT Cryogenic System

Conference ·
OSTI ID:862422

In the Accelerator Production of Tritium (APT) project, a one-kilometer-long linear accelerator (linac) is used as part of a plant that will provide tritium for national defense purposes. The accelerator consists of a low-energy (LE) normally conductive, radiofrequency (rf) linac and a high-energy (HE) superconducting rf linac. The APT cryogenic system will supply cryogenic helium fluids to maintain the HE linac superconducting rf cavities at the required operating temperatures and pressures. Presently under continuing development, the cryogenic system was originally intended to provide 27 kW of refrigeration at 2.15 K and 0.046 mbar to cool the superconducting niobium rf cavities, and 82 kW of 4.5 K refrigeration for thermal shielding. Program redirection has led to a system design that supports 15 kW at 2.15 K and 66 kW at 4 K to 50 K, with the potential for upgrading to higher linac energies and refrigeration capacity. The cryogenic system will consist of multiple interconnected 2.15 K refrigerators (split into 4 K and 2 K coldboxes) with required compressors, gas and liquid storage, and a vacuum-jacketed cryogen distribution system. Each 2 K cold box will employ 4 stages of cold compressors in series. This will be the first industrial application of large, multiple cold compressor systems operated in parallel. System requirements, current design direction, and potential design options are presented.

Research Organization:
Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE - Office of Energy Research (ER)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84ER40150
OSTI ID:
862422
Report Number(s):
JLAB-ACC-99-26; DOE/ER/40150-4990; TRN: US0703435
Resource Relation:
Conference: CEC/ICMC, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 12-16 July, 1999
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English