1. N. Hasan1, P. Knudsen2 and V. Ganni2
Applicability of ASST-A Helium Refrigeration System for JLab End Station Refrigerator
N. Hasan1, P. Knudsen2 and V. Ganni2
1Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA USA
2Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), Michigan State University (MSU), East Lansing, MI USA

2. Outline Background Motivation ASST-A Cryogenic System
Process Study - Objective
Results and Discussion
Conclusion

3. Experimental Halls A, B and C
Background
HDR
CHL 1 & 2
ESR
Experimental Halls A, B and C
CTF

4. Background (contd.) ESR Cryogenic System CTI / Helix 1500 W Cold Box
Sullair Warm Helium Compressors
186 kW (250 hp) 1st stage
746 kW (1000 hp) 2nd stage
10,000 liter liquid helium (LHe) dewar
Associated distribution system
Valve box
Three hall distribution cans
Cryogenic Transfer lines

5. Background (contd.) Dependent on CHL for: Typical Cryogenic Loads:
Warm gas purification system
GHe storage system
LN storage
Typical Cryogenic Loads:
4.5 K Refrigeration
4.5 K Liquefaction
20 K Target
SCHe Support Flow from CHL:
3.0 bar, 4.5 K
Short Term (Trip Recovery)
Supporting High Powered Targets
Knudsen et al., Refrigeration recovery for Experiment hall high target loads (CEC 2009)

6. Motivation 12 GeV Upgrade Project CHL Capacity Doubled
Added CHL2 Cryogenic Plant
New Experimental Hall (Hall D)
Added Hall D Refrigerator
Upgraded / New Targets and Magnets to Existing Experimental Halls
Expected 12 GeV Era Cryogenic Loads (Cumulative)
4.5 K Refrigeration: kW
4.5 K Liquefaction (Lead Cooling): 9.1 g/s
15 K Target: kW

7. ASST-A Cryogenic System
History:
Originally procured in 1992 by SSCL
Magnet Testing Lab for Magnet String Test
Preliminary concept of Floating pressure process (Ganni Cycle)
Developed and successfully used for the variable capacity operation
to recover after the magnet string quench test
Never been used after SSCL cancellation
Majority of the components already present at JLab

8. ASST-A Cryogenic System (contd.)
Features
4.0 kW 4.5 K cold box
Capacity (tested)
4.5 K Refrigeration: 2.0 kW
4.5 K Liquefaction: 20 g/s
Compressor System (Sullair)
Two 186 kW (250 hp) 1st stage
Two 522 kW (700 hp) 2nd stage
Four turbo-expanders
Eleven heat exchangers
Grouped into six brazed aluminium cores
Two 80 K beds, One 20 K bed

9. ASST-A Cryogenic System (contd.)
Cold Box Process Model:
ASST-A cold box performance was extensively tested for design verificationa.
Volumetric and isothermal efficiencies for each compressor stage were measured as a function of the pressure ratio across each stage.
Process Model developed using characteristics of the sub-components of the cryogenic system supplied by the manufacturer and data from the tests.
Conservation of mass and energy is applied over several control volumes within the cold box boundary to calculate the unknown
aGanni V and Apparao T , Design Verification and Acceptance Tests of the ASST-A Helium Refrigeration System Advances in Cryogenic Engineering (1994).
Figure: Calculated performance characteristics of the ASST-A cold box under different loading conditions.

10. Process Study Objectives:
Feasibility of ASST-A cryogenic system as an upgrade / replacement for the ESR
Performance of ASST-A supporting baseline 12 GeV era cryogenic loads
Performance of ASST-A supporting baseline 12 GeV era cryogenic loads and a 5.0 kW (20K) target load.
Reduce the capital for the occasional peak loads (i.e. CHL support flow) and provide a system that can efficiently provide for varying capacity needs

11. Process Study (contd.)
Performance of ASST-A supporting baseline 12 GeV era loads and a 5.0 kW (20K) target load: #
Target Supply From
Target Return To
CHL Support Flow To 1
T3 Outlet
(m), (1)
LHe Dewar 2
Target 3
(m), (2) 4 5
T4 Outlet 6 7 8 9 PS
(l), (1) 10
(l), (2)

12. Results and Discussion
Performance of ASST-A supporting baseline 12 GeV era cryogenic loads
15.0 bar Supply to Cold Box
Medium pressure (MP) stream at 2.0 bar
Significant 1st Stage Bypass (102.1 g/s) available
LN Consumption 68.7 g/s (~ 80 gph)

13. Results and Discussion (contd.)
Performance of ASST-A supporting baseline 12 GeV era loads and a 5.0 kW (20K) target load: #
SCHe from CHL
Cold Box LN Use
‘h’ Stream Flow
1st Stage Compressor Bypass
Target Load Supported by CHL Flow
[g/s]
[kW] 1
22.0
26.4
407.9
89.7 -- 2
21.5
28.7
410.8
60.3
2.2 3
22.5
20.8
399.5
86.3 4
23.4
401.4
57.5
2.3 5
24.0
16.6
392.2
78.8 6
17.4
395.5
49.4
2.5 7
26.0
6.8
71.6 8
25.0
11.6
399.3
44.4
2.6 9
27.0
6.1
394.0
23.5 10
5.7
391.4
14.4

14. Results and Discussion (contd.)
Observations:
As the supply temperature to the target from the cold box is decreased, the required CHL 4.5 K, 3.0 bar support flow increases, and the exergy provided to the target increases for the same heat load. As such, less of the overall target load can be supported by the cold box. So, configurations 1 to 4 require less CHL support flow than configurations 5 to 10.
For all the configurations, the optimum return injection point for the 20 K target flow is at point 1 (refer to figure 1). When the 20 K return flow is injected at point 2 (which is at a colder temperature), some of the cold box exergy is wasted in mixing with the warmer 20 K return flow.
Less CHL support flow is required when it is directly sent to the target. Introducing the CHL support flow to the LHe dewar consumes some of the available exergy due to the J-T process and so loses some of its usefulness. However, this also generates additional boil-off flow from the dewar which in turn reduces the LN consumption in the pre-cooler heat exchanger.

15. Results and Discussion (contd.)
T-s Diagram for Optimum Configuration (Configuration # 2):
17.0 bar Supply to Cold Box.
Medium pressure (MP) stream at 2.7 bar.
Available 1st Stage Bypass is 60.3 g/s.
LN Consumption 28.7 g/s (~ 34 gph). About 40% of the LN consumption of the baseline load case
Cold box is able to support 2.8 kW (out of 5.0 kW) of target load with 37.0 g/s of flow from turbo-expander 3 (T3) outlet.
Rest of the target load is supported by directly routing 21.5 g/s (at 3.0 bar, 4.5 K) of flow from CHL

16. Results and Discussion (contd.)
Comparison between Configuration 2 and 9:
Configuration 2 is able to handle up to 5.9 kW of target load (20 K)
Configuration 9 is only able to handle up to 5.2 kW (20 K).

17. Conclusion
ASST-A cryogenic system is found to be satisfactory in handling the expected 12 GeV era ESR loads.
Ten different configurations for supporting a 5.0 kW liquid hydrogen target (at 20 K) have been evaluated.
Configuration 2 which has a minimum 4.5 K support flow (21.5 g/s) from CHL is planned to be used.
In case, target pressure drop is high - configuration 9 is planned to be used.
Cold box design modifications and the fabrication of a new distribution line to support the high power target is anticipated to started by spring 2018, followed by a load verification performance test using electric heaters.

19. Thank You