Method and apparatus for removal of microscopic contaminant particulates from superconducting radio frequency cavities and cavity strings
AssigneeJefferson Science Associates, LLC
InventorRongli Geng
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for removing microscopic contaminant particulates by high pressure liquid nitrogen jet cleaning from the inner surface of a superconducting radio frequency cavity or a string of multiple cavities and transporting the removed particulates out of the inner space enclosed by the cleaned surfaces. The cleaning method of the invention suppresses field emission, resulting in an increase of the usable accelerating gradient of the cavities and a reduction of the activated radioactivity in accelerator components around cavities.
Claims20
A particle removal apparatus for removing microscopic contaminant particles from the inner surface of one or more SRF accelerator cavities having a central axis, comprising:
- a rotating lance;
- a high pressure liquid nitrogen flow feeding the rotating lance;
- a cleaning head on said lance, said cleaning head including one or more nozzles;
- a hollow bore within said lance and said cleaning head;
- and
- a mechanism for advancing and retracting the position of the lance within the one or more accelerator cavities.
A method for removing microscopic contaminant particles from the inner surface of an SRF accelerator cavity or string of cavities having a central axis, said method comprising:
- a rotating lance;
- a liquid nitrogen supply tank;
- a cleaning head on said lance, said cleaning head including one or more nozzles;
- a hollow bore within said lance and said cleaning head;
- a mechanism for advancing and retracting the position of the lance within the accelerator cavity;
- pumping the liquid nitrogen to high pressure;
- conveying the high pressure liquid nitrogen into the hollow bore, the lance, and the cleaning head;
- and
- streaming a high pressure liquid nitrogen jet out of the one or more nozzles and against the inner surface of the SRF accelerator cavity or string of cavities to dislodge microscopic contaminant particles from said inner surface, said liquid nitrogen converting to gaseous nitrogen after said streaming and collision with said inner surface of the SRF accelerator cavity or string of cavities.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.