The BaBar Gas Bubbler Upgrade and Evaluation
The Instrumented Flux Return region (muon and K{sub L} detection barrel) of the BaBar detector at SLAC requires careful monitoring of the gas flow through the detector array. This is currently done by a system of digital gas bubblers which monitor the flow rate by using photogate technology to detect the presence of bubbles formed by gas flowing through an internal oil chamber. Recently, however, a design flaw was discovered in these bubblers. Because the bubblers are connected directly to the detector array with no filter, during rises in atmospheric pressure or a drop in the gas flow rate (e.g. when the gas system is shut off for maintenance), the oil in this chamber could be forced backwards into the detector tubes. To compensate for this problem, we upgraded the existing gas bubbler systems by installing metal traps into the old gas lines to capture the oil. This installation was followed by an evaluation of the retro-fitted bubblers during which we determined a relationship between the bubble counting rate and the actual gas flow rate, but encountered recurring problems with baseline fluctuations and unstable bubble counting rates. Future work will involve the study of how these instabilities develop, and whether or not they can be mitigated.
- Research Organization:
- SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76SF00515
- OSTI ID:
- 877466
- Report Number(s):
- SLAC-TN-05-054; TRN: US0601491
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Evaluation of the Electronic Bubbler Gas Monitoring System for High Flow in the BaBar Detector
Relative Humidity in Limited Streamer Tubes for Stanford Linear Accelerator Center's BaBar Detector