FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, THE
Grant: $5,000,000 - National Science Foundation - Sep. 1, 2009
64% voted satisfied - 36% voted not satisfied - 11 vote(s) cast
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Award Description: The purpose of this ARRA award is to ameliorate prior budget reductions. Cumulative under funding of this 5-yr award led to the deferment of equipment replacement, preventive maintenance, projects and a reduction in DC magnet operations. The receipt of ARRA funds provides the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) the ability to reinstate the deferred items. A helium liquefier system will be purchased and installed to replace unreliable equipment that is 18-22 years old. This system will upgrade the cryogenics plant enabling the lab to maintain a state of the art facility for users. A magnet cooling pump will also be purchased and installed to support the helium purification needs associated with the upgrade. The Florida State University has provided supplementary funds in the amount of $1.9 million dollars to support this enhancement. The System components include a liquefier which will be used to recover helium gas via lab-wide recovery system, purify and liquefy helium for re-use as coolant for superconducting magnets and for use with samples during scientific experiments. A central Helium Distribution Box, consisting of valving, heat exchangers, helium sub coolers, will be purchased to supply liquid helium for the 45 tesla hybrid and for the cryogenic shields. This is a interface between the output of the 750 w turbine helium liquefier and the current cooling system of the 45 telsa magnet. The system is also designed for future expansion and the next generation of hybrid magnets. Vacuum jacketed transfer lines area necessity for coupling the Central Distribution Box to the 45 tesla hybrid. These transfer lines will enable the cost-effective (and environmentally friendly) transfer of liquid helium. The NHMFL is committing $475,270 from other funding sources to support the purchase a new Magnet Cooling Pump System. The total cost of the project is $575,270 which includes $350,000 for a pump. ARRA funds in the amount of $100,000 will be applied to the purchase of a pump. The magnet cooling pump will provide increased cooling efficiency and the ability to operate longer magnet 'run times during Users’ research projects. Equipment purchases at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), via a sub-award, includes $639,000 to purchase emergency replacement parts for the 60T and 100T Long Pulse Magnet Systems. The NHMFL Renewal Proposal, section 2.2 Realizing the Science, page 31 clearly stated… pulsed magnets are essentially ' applied metal fatigue ; the consumption of 100T (and 60T0 insert coils is a new and ongoing cost to the pulsed magnet program. Without these replacement parts, any magnet failure will require immediate suspension of the respective Pulsed Magnet User Program. Also, a cryostat will be purchased and installed at LANL-$71,013. Low loss cryostats decrease the consumption of liquid helium for magnet systems that are used in the User Program. The improved efficiency is required to offset the increasing cost of liquid helium. Equipment purchases for the Advanced Magnet Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy (AMRIS) Program at the University of Florida, via a sub-award, include $200,000 to purchase upgrades for imaging and spectroscopy consoles. Four of the current consoles are over ten years old and nearing the end of their useful lives. Frequent component breakdowns are negatively impacting the NHMFL user program. However, commercial NMR instrument manufactures have made great strides in digital technology over the last decade and modernizing the AMRIS consoles would yield gains in sensitivity, dynamics range, and pulse sequence programming that would further leverage the already impressive performance of our high magnetic fields and radiofrequency coils. These upgrades are necessary to support cutting-edge imaging and in-vivo spectroscopy experiments that are required by NHMFL external users.
Project Description: Since the helium liquefier will be the largest part of the project and have the longest lead time for delivery, that item has been our primary focus. The final specification packet for the replacement helium liquefier is complete. These specifications include the compressors, oil coalescers, internal absorbers and the turbo expanders. The minimum capability of the system is 750 watts of cooling at 4.5 K or production of 185 I/hr of liquid helium. The specification packet has been posted as a University Invitation to Negotiate. Bids from two vendors have been received. The committee has reviewed the submitted bids and is starting negotiations with the vendor(s). Delivery times of 14-16 months have been proposed. Initial specifications for the Central Distribution Box are being developed. Lists of valving, controls and PI&D specifications for the Central Distribution Box are in process and being reviewed by the scientific, technical and facilities staff before bidding can commence. Initial pricing for the Magnet Cooling Water Pump have been reviewed. Engineering review is ongoing of the necessary expanded capacity needed for operation of the magnets at the highest power levels available.
Jobs Summary: N/A (Total jobs reported: 0)
Project Status: Less Than 50% Completed
This award's data was last updated on Sep. 1, 2009. Help expand these official descriptions using the wiki below.
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