Fermilab Liquid Argon Filtration Test Stand System
Team Members Heading link
- Zouza Al Chalabi
- Isaac Banes
- Peter Degrace
- Ali Syaban Pratama
- Jane Yoo
Project Description Heading link
Fermilab uses a neutrino detector that requires a vast amount of liquid argon (LAr). The operation is based on a principle that neutrino interactions with argon atoms creates ionized electrons, which allows for detection of neutrinos. This is a delicate process and requires LAr that is purified of residual oxygen and moisture. The proposed system will be used to test the efficiency of different filter media by collecting information using oxygen analyzers and dew point sensors. The system is made of two subsystems: filtration and regeneration. During filtration, oxygen is removed through an oxidation process using copper beads. The moisture is removed by molecular sieve beads which capture the moisture in nanometer sized pores. During regeneration, a hydrogen-argon mixture is used to regenerate the copper filter that has become fully oxidized and saturated. The hydrogen reacts with the oxidized copper, and the water from both the reaction and the mole sieve is baked off and vented. The system operates by utilizing multiple valves and instruments. Some of the valves include hand valves to isolate components and provide means of separation, pressure relief valves to prevent the build-up of pressure, flow control valves to allow for a controlled flow rate, and check valves to prevent back flow of hot gas into the cryogenic side of the system. Instruments include pressure and flow indicators, transmitters, pressure regulators, temperature elements, and a heater. The most important design metric is the adaptability of the system. The system has been designed to allow multiple configurations and allows external connection of pipes to increase adaptability. Furthermore, the canister is removable, allowing for Fermilab to test with different forms of filter media. The proposed design creates an effective and efficient way to obtain data repeatedly, with enough adaptability to allow for variation in testing and data collection.