Today, the first batch of in-beam glass cells for some our instruments were successfuly pressure tested at the Institut Laue Langevin in Grenoble, France, where they and a complete helium-3 polarising system are being fabricated and assembled.
The cells typically operate at up to 3 bar above atmospheric pressure, and all four cells were tested to 50% beyond that.
The next steps are to bake each cell out, fill with helium-3 gas, and then to test the spin-polarisation of the gas along with the polarisation lifetime.
The four cells shown here will be used on WOMBAT, TAIPAN, PLATYPUS and QUOKKA. Smaller cells will be used on SIKA, and a larger one on PELICAN.
Published: 05/05/2011