Manufacturing and welding processes development of ultra-high vacuum chambers for optical elements of the Sirius Project

• Grant number: 16/50044-2
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: July 01, 2017
• End date: June 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Manufacturing Processes
• Agreement: FINEP - PIPE/PAPPE Grant
• Principal Investigator: Diego Roberto Dias da Cruz
• Grantee: Diego Roberto Dias da Cruz
• Company: Promac Equipamentos MS Ltda
• City: Sumaré

Abstract

The National Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS) developed the project of a new light source machine - third generation, which is innovative and reference in the international scientific community. The Sirius project aims to meet new research that is disruptive in various areas of knowledge from nanotechnology and materials science, to research focused on life sciences and health. LNLS designed components, equipment and engineering systems with a high degree of complexity and that are not found in Brazilian market industry. The Sirius project brings many technical challenges, and one of these, the design and development of special metal chambers working in ultra-high vacuum environment with pressure of 10"-11 mbar. The construction process of the vacuum chambers must be conducted in a favorable environment for the operation of the equipment. The selection of materials, strict control of machining processes and, in particular welding, the steps of conditioning, surface finish and cleanliness are essential requirements for the formation of this environment. The challenge therefore is to ensure there are hardly any particles and undesirable impurities in the chambers build environment, processes and materials, especially in the welding regions. The project requires compliance with the requirements of vacuum systems and shall establish processes and procedures for its construction, ensuring the dimensional tolerances and geometry. The search for solutions to develop processes that strictly follow the design of ultra-high vacuum chambers must ensure the necessary boundary conditions for the conduct of scientific research and the operation of the synchrotron machine. In this sense, PROMAC presents itself as a genuinely national company with experience and technical capacity to carry out this development. PROMAC designs, develops and produces large industrial and laboratory equipment and highly complex. The development of this project enables the preparation, conditioning and testing for ultra-high vacuum chambers of the dipoles of the booster chamber to mirror monochromator and optical elements for Sirius. The construction of the ultra-vacuum chambers following specifications, standards and requirements set by LNLS ensuring the environment to operate at pressures of 10"-11 mbar. (AU)