Optimization of gaseous helium heater for 2 K cryogenic system for VECC’s superconducting electron linac

• Optimization of a helium gas heater is carried out numerically, which is essential for all present day’s 2 K systems.
• Tubular type of heater is preferred to reduce pressure loss across the heater.
• Additional length of heater facilitates warming up of the helium gas by the atmospheric enthalpy.
• Excess pressure drop causes by the additional length of the heater demands extra pumping power to maintain the vacuum.

Niobium superconducting radiofrequency cavities are generally operated at around 2 K temperature to achieve a high quality factor by reducing residual surface losses. 2 K temperature is produce by lowering down the pressure of the helium by employing a sub-atmospheric vacuum pumping system. The cavities are immersed in liquid helium bath, maintained in the helium chamber. A special heater is optimized for warming up the helium gas coming out from the helium chamber to 300 K before it enters the pumping system. Keeping in view the uninterrupted and reliable operation of the superconducting electron linac and safe running of the liquid helium plant, a tubular heat exchanger type of heater is designed. Current is passed through the tubes of the heater so as to let the tube banks themselves act as heating element. He gas, passing through the tubes, absorbs the heat and warms up to the desired temperature. Unlike common notion, it has been observed that heater with longer length could reduce the requirement of the heater power but at the cost of extra pumping power, required to counter balance the excess pressure drop caused by the additional length of the heater. Pressure drop is kept within 50 Pa for 2 g/s helium flow rate. The whole lot of tubes, divided into 4 bundles, are electrically connected in series so that current rating of the feed-through could be kept within 750 A. This paper discusses the methodology used for optimizing the design of the heater.