Experiment for transient effects of sudden catastrophic loss of vacuum on a scaled superconducting radio frequency cryomodule

Safe operation of superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities require design consideration of a sudden catastrophic loss of vacuum (SCLV) adjacent with liquid helium (LHe) vessels and subsequent dangers. An experiment is discussed to test the longitudinal effects of SCLV along the beam line of a string of scaled SRF cavities. Each scaled cavity includes one segment of beam tube within a LHe vessel containing 2 K saturated LHe, and a riser pipe connecting the LHe vessel to a common gas header. At the beam tube inlet is a fast acting solenoid valve to simulate SCLV and a high/low range orifice plate flow-meter to measure air influx to the cavity. The gas header exit also has an orifice plate flow-meter to measure helium venting the system at the relief pressure of 0.4 MPa. Each cavity is instrumented with Validyne pressure transducers and Cernox thermometers. The purpose of this experiment is to quantify the time required to spoil the beam vacuum and the effects of transient heat and mass transfer on the helium system. Heat transfer data is expected to reveal a longitudinal effect due to the geometry of the experiment. Details of the experimental design criteria and objectives are presented.Comment: 8 pp. Cryogenic Engineering Conference and International Cryogenic Materials Conference CEC-ICMC. 13-17 June 2011. Spokane, Washingto

Dynamic PID loop control

The Horizontal Test Stand (HTS) SRF Cavity and Cryomodule 1 (CM1) of eight 9-cell, 1.3GHz SRF cavities are operating at Fermilab. For the cryogenic control system, how to hold liquid level constant in the cryostat by regulation of its Joule-Thompson JT-valve is very important after cryostat cool down to 2.0 K. The 72-cell cryostat liquid level response generally takes a long time delay after regulating its JT-valve; therefore, typical PID control loop should result in some cryostat parameter oscillations. This paper presents a type of PID parameter self-optimal and Time-Delay control method used to reduce cryogenic system parameters' oscillation.Comment: 7 pp. Cryogenic Engineering Conference and International Cryogenic Materials Conference CEC-ICMC 2011, 13-17 June 2011. Spokane, Washingto

Pressure field study of the Tevatron cold compressors

The Fermilab Tevatron cryogenic system utilizes high-speed centrifugal cold compressors, manufactured by Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. (IHI), for high-energy operations [1]. The compressor is designed to pump 60 g/sec of 3.6 K saturated helium vapor at a pressure ratio of 2.8, with an off-design range of 40 to 70 g/sec. Operating speeds are between 40 and 95 krpm, with a speed of 80 krpm at the design point. Different heat loads and magnet quench performance of each of the twenty-four satellite refrigerators dictates different process pressure and flow rates of the cold compressors. Reducing the process flow rate can cause the centrifugal cold compressor to stop pumping and subsequently surge. Tests have been conducted at the Cryogenic Test Facility at Fermilab to map the pressure field and appropriate efficiency of the IHI hydrodynamic cold compressor. The information allows tuning of each of the twenty-four Tevatron satellite refrigerators to avoid cold compressor operation near the surge and choke lines. A new impeller has also been tested. The Tevatron cold compressor pressure field and efficiency data with the new impeller are presented in this paper

Superconducting radio-frequency modules test facility operating experience

Fermilab is heavily engaged and making strong technical contributions to the superconducting radio-frequency research and development program (SRF R&D). Four major SRF test areas are being constructed to enable vertical and horizontal cavity testing, as well as cryomodule testing. The existing Fermilab cryogenic infrastructure has been modified to service Fermilab SRF R&D needs. The first stage of the project has been successfully completed, which allows for distribution of cryogens for a single cavity cryomodule using the existing Cryogenic Test Facility (CTF) that houses three Tevatron satellite refrigerators. The cooling capacity available for cryomodule testing at MDB results from the liquefaction capacity of the CTF cryogenic system. The cryogenic system for a single 9-cell cryomodule is currently operational. The paper describes the status, challenges and operational experience of the initial phase of the project

Parental effects on early life history traits of haddock Melanogrammus aeglefinus

Gametes from five male and three female haddock ( Melanogrammus aeglefinus ) were crossed to produce 15 half-sibling families that were used to evaluate potential parental contributions to early life history variability. Larval morphology at 0 and 5 days post-hatch (dph) and time to starvation in the absence of food were examined. Maternal influences on larval standard length and yolk area were significant at 0 and 5 dph. Paternal effects on larval standard length were significant at 0 and 5 dph, whereas paternal effects on yolk area were only significant at 5 dph. Larval eye diameter was influenced by maternity at day 0 post-hatch and by both maternity and paternity at 5 dph. Myotome height of larvae was subject to maternal and paternal influences at 0 and 5 dph. Growth rate was significantly influenced by both paternity and maternity. Yolk utilization efficiency was significantly influenced by parental interaction, while the time taken for larvae to die in the absence of food was affected only by maternity. Results of this study not only confirm the importance of female contributions to larval development but also indicate a paternal influence on the development and the early life history success of marine fish

Impact of environmental and genetic factors on the scale shape of zebrafish, Danio rerio (Hamilton 1822): A geometric morphometric study

Intraspecific morphological variability may reflect either genetic divergence among groups of individuals or response of individuals to environmental circumstances within the frame of phenotypic plasticity. Several studies were able to discriminate wild fish populations based on their scale shape. Here we examine whether the variations in the scale shape in fish populations could be related to genetic or environmental factors, or to both of them. In the first experiment, two inbred lines of zebrafish Danio rerio (Hamilton 1822) reared under identical environmental conditions were compared. Secondly, to find out what effect environmental factors might have, offsprings were divided into two groups and reared on different diets for 12 weeks. Potential recovery of scales from an environmental effect was also assessed. Experimental groups could successfully be distinguished according to the shape of scales in both experiments, and the results showed that both genetic and environmental factors may notably influence scale shape. It was concluded that scale shape analysis might be used as an explanatory tool to detect potential variability of environmental influences impacting genetically homogeneous groups of fish. However, due to its sensitivity to environmental heterogeneity, the applicability of this technique in identifying intraspecific stock membership of fish could be limited

Intra- and Interspecies Genomic Transfer of the Enterococcus faecalis Pathogenicity Island

Enterococci are the third leading cause of hospital associated infections and have gained increased importance due to their fast adaptation to the clinical environment by acquisition of antibiotic resistance and pathogenicity traits. Enterococcus faecalis harbours a pathogenicity island (PAI) of 153 kb containing several virulence factors including the enterococcal surface protein (esp). Until now only internal fragments of the PAI or larger chromosomal regions containing it have been transfered. Here we demonstrate precise excision, circularization and horizontal transfer of the entire PAI element from the chromosome of E. faecalis strain UW3114. This PAI (ca. 200 kb) contained some deletions and insertions as compared to the PAI of the reference strain MMH594, transferred precisely and integrated site-specifically into the chromosome of E. faecalis (intergenic region) and Enterococcus faecium (tRNAlys). The internal PAI structure was maintained after transfer. We assessed phenotypic changes accompanying acquisition of the PAI and expression of some of its determinants. The esp gene is expressed on the surface of donor and both transconjugants. Biofilm formation and cytolytic activity were enhanced in E. faecalis transconjugants after acquisition of the PAI. No differences in pathogenicity of E. faecalis were detected using a mouse bacteraemia and a mouse peritonitis models (tail vein and intraperitoneal injection). A 66 kb conjugative pheromone-responsive plasmid encoding erm(B) (pLG2) that was transferred in parallel with the PAI was sequenced. pLG2 is a pheromone responsive plasmid that probably promotes the PAI horizontal transfer, encodes antibiotic resistance features and contains complete replication and conjugation modules of enterococcal origin in a mosaic-like composition. The E. faecalis PAI can undergo precise intra- and interspecies transfer probably with the help of conjugative elements like conjugative resistance plasmids, supporting the role of horizontal gene transfer and antibiotic selective pressure in the successful establishment of certain enterococci as nosocomial pathogens