CHUPS status report - upgrade and outlook

[Claude Petitjean <claude.petitjean@psi.ch>]

Short report on CHUPS upgrade (in June 2005) and outlook
========================================================

                 (Monday, July-04-2005)

Dear friends,

I suppose that you have read the nice status report by the
CHUPS team about the very successful upgrade of the CHUPS
protium circulation and cleaning facility. Congratulations
to Sasha, Peter and Marat!

All proposed improvements were implemented and tested during
the first three weeks of their stay at PSI, and in the last
week first experience was gained with the new humidity sensor
"PURA" which arrived just in time from USA/England.

Of course, one week testing was by far not enough to get a clear
assessment of the PURA performance characteristics, but it allows
us to plan now the steps that should be undertaken next fall
in order to get the humidity problem under control that haunted
us during last years MuCap run8.

On the last working day (July 1st), Francoise, Malte and I met
with the CHUPS team to discuss the next steps that might be
undertaken in the near future. Here is a preliminary summary:

1) Disposal of CHUPS after July-1st
===================================

Most protium (~800 stp liters) was moved into the "dummy tpc"
tank and the RV1 volume. It will be reprocessed in the East hall.
The remaining CHUPS volumes were filled with Nitrogen gas at some
overpressure. For the tests with real tpc in fall we will use
exclusively protium processed through the Palladium filter.
All other CHUPS hardware was shut off and secured behind the
mucap barrak until fall 2005.


2) Preparations for fall tests with CHUPS, PURA and TPC
=======================================================

The following preparations were discussed. This list is of course
preliminary and incomplete:

   - the Zeolite and the Carbon in CHUPS will be exchanged by
     fresh material.

   - a temperature stabilisation system will be designed for PURA
     (e.g. in connection with a Pelletier element). The temperature
     should be kept near 20 C where the factory-calibration was made.

   - a test with Palladium filter in front of PURA will be prepared
     with the hope to produce "ultra-dry" protium and test this way
     the ultimate sensitivity of PURA.

   - a number of additional technical items should be acquired, e.g.
     1 pressure transducer, more swagelock filters (2x10mu, 1x2mu),
     1 accoustic alarm unit, 5 conflat Cu gasgets, PT100 temperature
     sensors, etc. (the CHUPS team will prepare a detailed list).

3) Conceivable time plans for CHUPS - PURA - TPC tests in fall 2005
===================================================================

It was agreed that extended testing (several weeks at least) of CHUPS
+ PURA + real TPC is needed this fall, before we can declare to be
ready to move into the experimental area (nominally on October 26).

For technical reasons (space availability in the experimental hall),
the earliest possible start time of these tests is:

- week of September  5: setup of CHUPS with improvements
- week of September 12: install TPC in the experimental hall

--> max. available time for CHUPS - PURA - TPC tests: 6 weeks

Nothing is fixed yet, but due to the time needed for purchases and
the relatively short summer retreat time, we should very soon try to
establish a final program and time schedule.

With best regards, yours

Claude


Peter Kravtsov wrote:
> Dear colleagues,
> 
> I attached our updated status report with added
> moisture sensor experiments.
> We started to formulate working plans concerning CHUPS and
> PURA sensor and would be glad to receive
> comments/remarks/proposals.