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32/1-A24 (CERN)
Gas R&D activities
Gas R&D activities 2026-10-15 10:35(GMT+2:00)
Key Outcomes
The meeting covered four main technical workstreams: R134A distillation column diagnostics, uRWELL detector efficiency analysis, HF/HCl sensor cross-sensitivity investigation, and lab asset management. Key findings include reboiler temperature sensors likely misreading cooling liquid rather than process fluid, uRWELL detector achieving ~80% overall efficiency vs. declared 84%, and CO2 cross-sensitivity confirmed as a real effect in HF/HCl sensors. Several action items were identified around instrumentation upgrades, database migration, and safety compliance.
Decisions Made
· Reboiler investigation: Temperature discrepancy attributed to one sensor reading external surface and the other reading cooling liquid, not process fluid — cooling circulation failure also considered possible
· Column simulation: At 3 bar absolute and 0°C reboiler, model predicts 99.52% bottom purity with 82% recovery, venting ~21% of feed off the top
· Condenser temperature: Team agreed to increase condenser temperature (currently −15°C, simulation suggests −8°C is sufficient) and evaluate pressure adjustments
· Micro GC installation: Agreed to install micro GC at column bottom to measure all three components (R134A, CO2, isobutane) simultaneously
· GC calibration approach: Calibrate at Lab 256 with mixer and calibration bottle, then move to Atlas and repeat calibration bottle check to confirm consistency
· uRWELL Detector pad size: Active area confirmed as 9×9 cm (not 10×10); groove pitch reassessed at ~1.6 mm width based on efficiency drop analysis
· Database migration: InfluxDB being replaced with TimescaleDB (PostgreSQL-based) before end of year; adapter module approach agreed to minimize code changes
· Flammability concern: R134a+5% isobutane flammable?; formal certification from a German institute?
Completed
· Aspen simulations run for pure R134A and 95% R134A / 2.5% isobutane+CO2 feed at varying pressures
· uRWELL detector alignment and residual analysis completed for all four detectors; overall efficiency 98.7% in active zone
· EEE Standard gas mixture (R134A-SF6-isobutane) validated on cosmic telescope; helium-ZE mixture tested at 96% recirculation fraction
· ELMBs, motherboards, and power supplies from Lab 256 registered in EAM with labels and custom fields
· HF/HCl sensor heating measurements completed; CO2 cross-sensitivity confirmed, nitrogen/argon show no offset
Blockers
· SF6 mass flow controller under recalibration — prevents precise CO2 flow control for sensor tests until recalibration validated
· Reboiler control not achievable directly; team must work around via condenser temperature and pressure adjustments
· Micro GC not yet installed — current analyzer only reads two components simultaneously, limiting composition accuracy
Pending Confirmation
· uRWELL Exact pad size (8.4, 9, or 10 mm) for detector A needs confirmation from Jani(?) via email
· uRWELL Whether groove lines are truly 1.6 mm or efficiency drop is partly due to field proximity effects — requires re-analysis with corrected pitch
· CO2 offset magnitude in HF sensor: current reading (~0.8 ppm) unexpectedly high vs. prior heating tests — possible contamination from liquid ZD residue under investigation
· Humidifier bypass effect on sensor offset not yet fully isolated
· Flammability certificate cost and feasibility for gas mixture (~€3,000–5,000 estimate)
· Rack inventory in EAM: racks may already exist as system-level items — needs verification
Open Questions
· uRWELL Whether efficiency loss near groove lines is due to larger groove width (1.6 mm) or field-induced efficiency reduction at boundaries
· Whether HF signal during RPC operation reflects genuine gas decomposition or sensor artifact — higher ZD % should yield higher HF if decomposition theory holds, but this was not observed
· Safety envelope/flushing requirements for flammable gas mixtures in test beam environments
Action Items
· Emmanuel: Run updated column simulation with corrected condenser temperature (−8°C target) and evaluate pressure increase options
· Emmanuel: Coordinate mass flow meter procurement for exhaust flow measurement and reflux ratio calculation
· Stef/detector team: Email Jani? (CC supervisor?) to confirm detector pad dimensions
· Stef: Redo efficiency analysis with 9 mm pitch; test smaller coincidence time window (50–100 ns instead of 200 ns) to check fake coincidence rate
· Maximilian/Henrietta: Connect sensors directly to CO2 mass flow controller after SF6 recalibration; test flow variation over order-of-magnitude range
· Database owner: Identify all scripts writing to InfluxDB; update to TimescaleDB adapter before January
· Michal/Miguel: Register Atlas TGC electrical items in EAM; prepare rack labeling plan
· Emiliano: Complete mixer and pump analysis; present final results at M&O meeting (November 5th)
· Team: Prepare one slide per activity for section meeting (end of October/early November) and Annual GIF meeting (November 4th)
Gas R&D activities 2026-10-07 10:11(GMT+2:00)
Action Items
· Matteo: Identify relevant electron interaction processes for gas; begin parallel ORCA setup to test what quantities are computable.
· Andrea: Implement exhaust collection buffer (helium-filled, ~0.7–1 L) to enable single-shot GC analysis of desorption products; recalibrate GC scaling accordingly.
· Andrea: Run binary mixture test (R134A / isobutane only, 70–30) at 2.5 bar and 5°C to isolate adsorption behavior without SF6.
· Emmanuel: Investigate distillation operating conditions assuming fixed reboiler at ~0°C to find optimal pressure/temperature for best achievable purity.
· Stefania: Complete tracking module for time resolution; analyze charge distribution vs. drift field for ZE mixture before next GDD telescope run.
· Stefania: Check delivery times for mechanical detector components; request Andrea to add to workshop plan; restock lab connectors, valves, and Swagelok fittings.
· Roberto: Send distillation PowerPoint to professor in Milano.
Gas R&D activities 2026-10-01 09:44(GMT+2:00)
Action Items
· Emmanuel/Maria Cristina/Roberto: Investigate cooling circuit piping and look for work needed to implement parallel configuration for condenser/reboiler.
· Roberto: Resolve ASPEN simulation software license issue; coordinate with gas separation group call.
Gas R&D activities 2026-09-24
Action Items
Gas R&D activities 2026-09-17
Action Items
· Max: Check Fe-55 source activity/decay rate — assess if a second source is needed before Run 4; contact radioprotection if new purchase required.
· Ryan/Emmanuel: Investigate why CMS experimental temperature (~–50°C) diverged from simulation prediction at 30% CO2.
· MOF simulation lead: Begin kinematic/molecular dynamics study; include CO2 and H2O molecules in future simulation runs.
· Max: Check which 2017 gas measurement data is available vs. missing; confirm gas inventory in the gas room.
· Ryan/Emmanuel: Look into binary interaction parameters for R1233ZD, R1224YD + isobutane for potential distillation simulation.
Gas R&D activities 2026-09-03
Action Items
· Max: Swap strip profile in frame C; confirm impedance fix for detector 32.
· Albin: Add CF3I and C4F10 molecules to the simulation table.
· Max: Finalize plots for ECOGAS contribution from May test beam and ZD scan results.
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