Helium pumping by argon frosting on a 4.5 K surface

Abstract

Pumping of helium gas by means of argon frosting on a bare copper surface cooled to ∼4.5 K has been investigated in one of the neutral beamlines of the DIII-D tokamak. The beamline is designed to handle high power hydrogen and deuterium beams and corresponding high gas feed rates. By prefrosting the cryo panels with argon in an actual beamline, multisecond helium gas pulses have been handled at a background gas pressure low enough for formation and transport of helium beams. Appreciable pumping of helium gas was observed even at an argon-to-helium ratio as low as 20.