Speaker
Description
The CSPEC instrument at the European Spallation Source (ESS) uses 12 large-area 3He detectors that will require evacuation, filling, and occasional gas recovery throughout their lifetime. To handle the detector gases while minimizing the loss 3He, a dedicated mobile gas transfer system was developed.
The design is based on an existing gas transfer bench developed at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) for filling 3He neutron detectors. While the original ILL system relies on manually operated valves, the new ESS transfer bench introduces an automated gas handling process, improving safety, repeatability, and ease of operation while preserving the validated gas handling principles.
The system performs the complete detector gas handling cycle, including detector evacuation, gas mixing, filling, gas recovery for maintenance, and temporary gas storage. Specific attention was given to minimizing dead volumes, ensuring gas purity, leak tightness, compliance with the Pressure Equipment Directive (PED 2014/68/EU), and providing a compact, mobile solution suitable for use throughout the ESS E04 detector lab and instruments hall.
The project covered the complete engineering process, from system specification and detailed design to manufacturing, procurement, and Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT). The transfer bench has now been successfully manufactured, tested, and delivered to ESS, with the FAT confirming compliance with the specified functional and safety requirements.
This poster presents the system design, the transition from manual to automated gas handling, and the engineering solutions implemented to provide a reliable and maintainable platform for future 3He detector operations at ESS.
Key Words
Helium-3, Detector, CSPEC, Gas handling, Pressure equipment, Vacuum, Design, ESS