The CTD section is involved in the development of helium
refrigerator-cum-liquefier (HRL) plant and its components. Its target is to
develop HRL plant with complexity and reliability needed for superconducting
fusion machines. HRL plant involves development of different systems,
subsystems and components. HRL plant has mainly 4 systems: 1) Helium Compressor
and oil removal system (CORS), 2) Cold box system, 3) instrumentation, controls
and data acquisition system and 4) Utilities system. This section involves in
the development from component level, its testing up to plant level and its
testing. In this section there are mainly 3 experimental systems: Helium
Compressor and oil removal system, Cold Box system and Cryogenic Heat Exchanger
Test beds. In Mar-2023, the indigenously developed HRL plant, having about 90%
indigenous content, was tested for cooling power: 200 W at 4.5 K/600 W at 18
K/80 ltr/hr liquefaction rate at 4.5 K. This section is continuing its effort
to make HRL plant fully indigenous.
Developed
systems with main components are:
a)
Cold Box System: plate-fin Heat exchangers, Helium
turbines, Cryogenic valves, Helium gas purifier 10 PPM
b)
Helium CORS: Secondary oil removal sub-system and warm
gas management sub-system
c)
Instruments, controls and data acquisition system: PLCs,
Instrumentations (pressure, temperature, level, etc.), data acquisition, real
time data tracking with automatic controlled operation.
d)
Utilities system: Helium gas inventory, Instrumentation
air, Cooling water and LN2, Electrical
power supply with UPS.
e)
Heat Exchanger Test beds: Vacuum chamber with heat
exchangers, helium circulator, etc.
