Proton Power Upgrade

Proton Power Upgrade. The Proton Power Upgrade is a major accelerator enhancement project at the Spallation Neutron Source facility located at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. Funded by the United States Department of Energy, the project aims to significantly increase the proton beam power delivered to the facility's mercury target, thereby boosting neutron production for a wide array of scientific investigations. This upgrade is a critical component of the broader Second Target Station project, which will provide a new world-leading capability for neutron scattering research in the United States.

Project Overview

The primary objective is to raise the accelerator's beam power from 1.4 megawatts to 2.8 megawatts, effectively doubling the intensity of the neutron beams available for experiments. This enhancement requires substantial modifications to the existing linear accelerator and the accumulator ring complex. Key project elements include the installation of new superconducting radio frequency cryomodules, upgrades to high-power beam dump systems, and improvements to the radio frequency power systems and supporting infrastructure. The project is managed by a dedicated team of physicists and engineers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, collaborating with industrial partners and other DOE national laboratories to implement the advanced technologies required.

Technical Specifications

The upgrade centers on augmenting the existing linear accelerator with additional accelerating sections. This involves integrating twelve new superconducting cryomodules, which will increase the linac's energy from 1 GeV to 1.3 GeV. Concurrently, the accumulator ring will be modified to handle the higher-intensity beam, requiring new injection and extraction systems and enhanced diagnostics. The increased power also necessitates a more robust mercury target system and upgrades to the facility's extensive suite of neutron instruments and shielding. These technical improvements are designed to work in concert with the future Second Target Station, ensuring compatibility and optimal performance across the entire Spallation Neutron Source complex.

Project Timeline and Status

Formal project construction began following Critical Decision 3 approval from the United States Department of Energy in 2018. Major milestones have included the successful fabrication and testing of prototype cryomodules and the installation of initial components into the accelerator tunnel. As of recent updates, the project is in its advanced installation and commissioning phase, with several new cryomodules already integrated into the linac. The project team is systematically bringing upgraded systems online, with the goal of achieving full 2.8 MW operation in the mid-2020s, ahead of the planned construction of the Second Target Station.

Scientific and Research Applications

The doubled neutron flux will dramatically enhance the capabilities for neutron scattering experiments, a technique pivotal for studying the structure and dynamics of materials at the atomic scale. Researchers from fields such as condensed matter physics, chemistry, biology, and materials science will benefit from faster data collection and the ability to study smaller samples and weaker signals. This will accelerate discoveries in areas like quantum materials, polymers, batteries, and strongly correlated electron systems. The increased power is particularly crucial for supporting the future suite of instruments at the Second Target Station, which will specialize in studying complex materials under extreme conditions.

Collaboration and Funding

The project is a collaborative effort led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which is managed by UT-Battelle for the United States Department of Energy's Office of Science. Key contributions to accelerator component design and testing have come from other DOE laboratories, including Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. Major industrial partners have been contracted for the fabrication of cryomodules and other specialized systems. Primary funding is provided through the DOE Office of Science's Basic Energy Sciences program, with congressional support recognizing the project's importance to maintaining U.S. leadership in neutron science and enabling research critical for future energy technologies.

Category:Particle accelerators Category:Oak Ridge National Laboratory Category:Neutron facilities Category:United States Department of Energy