Enhancement of Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico's plasma machine cooling system

Abstract

The Mirror and Cusp Plasma Machine at the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico is a unique research and development machine to create plasma. Due to the high current, high magnetic field confinement and large chamber capacity, this machine is the only plasma machine in the Caribbean to reach high plasma temperatures and densities. Certainly these parameters are achieved by a high dc power supply that produces high currents in order to create a fine magnetic field; these currents range from 300 to 800 A, and the heat dissipation created by this process limits the use of the machine. Originally the machine had a water cooling line to circulate water at room temperature, but this line was not cool enough to efficiently remove heat from the system for large periods of time. Also, the high vacuum diffusion pumps used are water-cooled. The present study was developed to design a more efficient cooling system for the Plasma Laboratory using a water-cooled chiller; the main goals are to operate at lower temperatures but at stable currents I> 600 A, and to recycle the water. Now the machine can operate for longer periods of time and on a daily basis, resulting in more efficient experiments and investigations.