Marla Cervantes wrote:

Marla Cervantes wrote: John Wong wrote: Thursday, October 11, 2018, 18:06 Target consists of 284 UCx discs, total packing length of 8.0 cm.  Container was previously coated/sintered with TaC (see elog #417) in Evap#2 with TGHT set to 400A and TBHT 230A, but there was a problem with the readback.  Will ramp up TGHT to 400A to see if the carbonization is complete; if not, additional 50A on TGHT can be applied. One end-cap is inserted on the right, wrt to the ionizer, and left end is open.  Vacuum initial setting: Good Vac = 5.0 e-5 Torr, Bad vac = 8.0 e-5 Torr. pressure level will be monitored accordingly... Auto-ramping setting TGHT: 60 wait time, 0.2A/min, final 400A (or addtional of 50 A if required as mentioned above) TGHT: 60 wait time, 0.2A/min, final 230A.  Chamber is currently being pumped down.  Friday, October 12, 2018, 15:35 Chamber has pumped down to 1.8e-6 Torr.  Stepping up TGHT and TBHT to 40A.  Friday, October 12, 2018, 17:07 TGHT/TBTH was held at 40A reaching max pressure of 1.7e-5 before slowly coming down.  Initiated autoramping.  Thursday, October 18, 2018, 11:10 TGHT reached to 400A/3.98V, pressure is coming down from the upper limit at around 320A which indicated the carbonization is approaching to completion (see attachment#1).  However, two more out-gassing steps are typically observed as TGHT reached around 450 A (see previous UCx conditioning process).  Currently the pressure is at 1.04 e-5 torr.  Auto-ramping TGHT to 450A at 1A/min, continue to observe the vacuum...  Thursday, October 18, 2018, 12:57 TGHT reached to 450A/4.6V. Pressure is coming down from 1.6 e-5 Torr. (see attachment#2).  Will remain at this heating current until pressure reached to mid 10-6 torr.    Friday, October 19, 2018, 10:00 TRIUMF had a total power outage, the TBHT  and TGHT current had been ramped down already.     Sunday, October 21, 2018, 1:00 pm the pumps went out, and the communication with the IEVAP was recovered on Sunday, the vacuum was 160 mTorr, the pumps were turned on again.

 Monday, October 22, 2018, 9:00

The target was transferred to the Ar glove box.

 Tuesday, October 23, 2018, 10:19

Target was inspected:

- Discs were in place

- Orange coating formed on the open end of target container

Spring was removed, two graphite discs were introduced, end cap was placed.

On Tuesday it was noted that evaporator 1 was not pumping down properly. It was vented and the seal & seal face wiped with a cloth. The initial pump down rate was faster, however after 48 hrs, it has still not pumped down to appropriate levels. 

Thursday, March 21, 2019, 08:59: IV1 closed & TP1 off. 

Oiled as per work permit:  I2019-03-26-2.

Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 08:53: Start RP1

Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 09:03: Holding at 0.303T on CG2. 

Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 09:10: Turned off RP1. Vent chamber slightly. Close VV1. Restarted RP1.

Open RV1.

Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 09:13: Vacuum stalls out at approx 0.300T.

Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 09:16: Shut off RP1. Contact Vacuum group.

 Checked as per work permit: I2019-03-26-5

Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 13:50: Filter checked. OK

Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 14:00: Tees checked. OK.

Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 14:05: Line / bellows. Fail

Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 14:11: New line / bellows. OK 

Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 14:19: TP1 on, IV1 opened. Vacuum @ 3.5e-05T and dropping.

Pumping down evap1. Dispose of the old line. Replacement successful. No contamination was found on the swipes.

Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 14:36: Vacuum @ 1.12e-05T and dropping. 

Friday, June 14, 2019, 17:10

A 14 mm die was used to cut out discs from strips

The target consists of 236 discs of 10 cm in length - all single discs, no packs.

231 x UO₂/C discs = 25.76 g

12 UO₂ discs for measurements = 1.49 g

Graphite insert without caps= 11.59 g

The loaded insert is placed on target boat.

Boat previously coated with TaC and sintered.

Ta-target boat is wrapped with 3-layers (2 new one used) of heat shield and installed in evap1.

Chamber is pumping down.

Monday, June 17, 2019, 08:56 

Pressure limits:

Good vacuum 1e-1 Torr

Bad vacuum 5e-1 Torr

IGP1 = 6.600777e-7 Torr

Current tapped manually to 80 A at 1A/s in 10 A blocks with a waiting period of 20 s between each increment.

Initial IGP1 = 5.31 e-6 Torr

Monday, June 17, 2019, 10:03

After 42 minutes the pressure started dropping and the current rate was changed to 1A/s with for 20 second intervals followed by 20 second wait while monitoring pressure.

Monday, June 17, 2019, 14:41

Current was tapped to 100A but the pressure increased too rapidly; therefore, the current was tapped down to 75A.

After pressure stabilized, the current was tapped up to 100 A @1A/s in 20A segments and 20 second pauses.

Continued tapping up at the above rate until 160A, at which point the pressure shot up and tripped the system.

The pressure stabilized within 18 minutes.

The wait interval on the heater ramps control was changed to 1s

The current increment was set to 0.2A with a final value of 200A

At 170A the autoramp was stopped and the current manually tapped down to 160A to prevent rapid pressure buildup.

5 minutes later the pressure had stabilized and autramp was restarted.

At 160A we changed the waiting interval to 10s and the current increment to 2A.

At 200A we stopped autoramp and manually tapped at 1A/s in 20A segments with 10s pauses. 

At 360A, we changed the current increment to 1A while keeping the wait interval at 10s.

At 440A the autoramp was stopped to change the current increment to 0.5A while the waiting interval was kept at 10s.

The autoramp final current was set to 500A.

At 495A the autoramp was stopped because the pressure was dropping significantly.

The Target was left for 3 hours at 495A.

Pre-cooling conditions:

TGHT = 494A, 4.8V

IGP1 = 6.7e-6 Torr

Cooling rate = -2A/min

Friday, June 26, 2019, 17:10

A 13 mm die was used to cut out discs from strips

The target consists of 264 discs of 10 cm in length - all single discs, no packs.

231 x UO₂/C discs = 25.76 g

10 UO₂ discs for measurements = 1.49 g

Graphite insert without caps= 17.44 g

The loaded insert is placed on target boat.

Boat previously coated with TaC and sintered.

Ta-target boat is wrapped with 3-layers (3 used) of heat shield and installed in evap1.

Chamber is pumping down. 

Tuesday, July 30, 2019, 09:45

Pressure limits:

Good vacuum 1e-1 Torr

Bad vacuum 5e-1 Torr

Initial vacuum IGP1 = 5.94e-7 Torr

Current tapped manually to 85 A at 1A/s in 5 A blocks with a waiting period of 25 s between each increment. 

Tuesday, July 30, 2019, 10:53

After 30 min, the pressure started stabilizing around 0.0013 g

The current rate was changed to 1 A/2min to 88 A

The current rate was changed to 1 A/min to 90 A

The current rate was changed to 1 A/30s to 100 A

The final pressure obtained was 0.0011 Torr

The current rate was changed to 2 A each 10 s to 170 A

The final pressure obtained was 0.04 Torr

The current rate was changed to 1 A each 10 s to 180 A

The final pressure obtained was 0.008 Torr

The final pressure was 0.001 Torr

The current was tapped manually to 400 A in intervals of 10 A at 1 A/s each 10 s

The autoramp was set to 1 A each 10 s to 450 A

Then the current was increased manually at 1 a each 20 s until 475 A

The current was increased in this manner until 480 A to make sure the pressure was not rising 

Tuesday, July 30, 2019, 12:00

After the pressure stabilized and started reducing the current was reduced to 480 A

After 3 hours at 475 A the autoramp was set to -2A/min

 Wednesday, October 02, 2019, 11:09

A graphite cartridge loaded with UO2/C foils, wrapped with three Ta heat shields was placed in the EVAP1.

The EVAP1 is currently pumping down.

 Thursday, October 03, 2019, 09:40

Pressure limits:

Good vacuum 1e-1 Torr

Bad vacuum 5e-1 Torr

Initial vacuum IGP1 = 9.54e-7 Torr

Current tapped manually to 80 A at 1A/s in 5 A blocks with a waiting period of 25 s between each increment. 

Thursday, October 03, 2019, 10:36

The pressure started decreasing after 45 min and the auto ramp was set to 1 A each 30 s to 86 A 

The autoramp was set to 2 A each 10 s to 180 A

The autoramp was set to 3.2 A each 10 s to 300 A

The autoramp was re start at 3.2 A each 10 s to 400 A 

The autoramp was set to 1 A each 10 s to 430 A 

The autoramp was set to 2 A each 10 s to 450 A 

The autoramp was set to 2 A each 10 s to 480 A 

Autoramp at 2 A per min to 500 A

Manually tapped to 545 A.

After 48 hrs at maximum temperature, the target was cooled done at -2 A/min 

Monday, October 28, 2019, 10:29

A loaded graphite cartridge was set in a tantalum boated and wrapped with 3 tantalum sheets

The set up was installed in the EVAP1 and pumped dwon during the weekend.

IGP1 = 1.10 e-6 Torr

Monday, October 28, 2019, 10:31

Good vacuum = 1e-1 Torr

Bad vaccum = 5e-1 Torr

The current ramp is 1 A each 10 s from 0 A to 100 A

Monday, October 28, 2019, 11:13 

After 18 min the pressure started dropped.

Monday, October 28, 2019, 11:22 

When the pressure reduced to 5e-4 Torr the current ramp was changed to 3.3 A each 10 s to 480 A, the vacuum limits stayed the same.

Monday, October 28, 2019, 11:45

The limit was set to 500 A with same ramp

Monday, October 28, 2019, 11:48 

The ramp was changed to 1A/10s to 550 A

 Monday, October 28, 2019, 11:55

At 520 A the pressure reach 1e-1 Torr and the autoramp stopped

Monday, October 28, 2019, 13:39

the current was increased manually at aprox. 1A/30 s 

The current dropped suddenly even though the pressure was under the limits and the ramping was in the limits.

Autoramp was set to 3 A/ 10 s from to to 500 A

Then it was changed to 1 A  /30s from 500 to 506 A

Finally it was changed to 1 A/ 10 s from 506 to 520 A

Manually tapped to 530 A

Monday, October 28, 2019, 15:40

At 13:45 the current reached 530 A. 

Marla Cervantes wrote:

Monday, October 28, 2019, 10:29 A loaded graphite cartridge was set in a tantalum boated and wrapped with 3 tantalum sheets The set up was installed in the EVAP1 and pumped dwon during the weekend. IGP1 = 1.10 e-6 Torr Monday, October 28, 2019, 10:31 Good vacuum = 1e-1 Torr Bad vaccum = 5e-1 Torr The current ramp is 1 A each 10 s from 0 A to 100 A Monday, October 28, 2019, 11:13  After 18 min the pressure started dropped. Monday, October 28, 2019, 11:22  When the pressure reduced to 5e-4 Torr the current ramp was changed to 3.3 A each 10 s to 480 A, the vacuum limits stayed the same. Monday, October 28, 2019, 11:45 The limit was set to 500 A with same ramp Monday, October 28, 2019, 11:48  The ramp was changed to 1A/10s to 550 A  Monday, October 28, 2019, 11:55 At 520 A the pressure reach 1e-1 Torr and the autoramp stopped Monday, October 28, 2019, 13:39 the current was increased manually at aprox. 1A/30 s  The current dropped suddenly even though the pressure was under the limits and the ramping was in the limits. Autoramp was set to 3 A/ 10 s from to to 500 A Then it was changed to 1 A  /30s from 500 to 506 A Finally it was changed to 1 A/ 10 s from 506 to 520 A Manually tapped to 530 A Monday, October 28, 2019, 15:40 At 13:45 the current reached 530 A.

The final pressure was IGP1 = 3.3e-6 Torr 

After 18 hrs at maximum temperature the autoramp was set to -2 A/min to 0 A.

 One of the TBHT bolts  fell out of reach and may be sitting on the isolation valve or TP.

Remove TP as per WP:  I2019-11-05-9

Tuesday, November 05, 2019, 14:48: Completed. Found 2 TBHT bolts, a broken insulator, one small vented screw, and a piece of rubber.

Turbo pump mesh clear. Magnetic grabbing tool left in Evap 1 to potentially pickup /  grab materials before they fall down the hole if needed. The tip of the tool is contaminated.

Tuesday, November 05, 2019, 15:03: Evap 1 pumped down. TP1 started, IV1 opened. Ok. 

 Tuesday, May 26, 2019, 18:20

A loaded graphite cartridge was set in a tantalum boated and wrapped with 3 tantalum sheets (Friday May 22, 2020)

The set up was installed in the EVAP1 and pumped down during the weekend.

IGP1 = 7.10 e-7 Torr

Good vacuum = 1e-1 Torr

Bad vacuum = 5e-1 Torr

Current ramp is 1A per 10s from 0A to 120A

 Replacement of electronic / controller head from INIFICON - BPG to Agilent - Model: FRG-730 due to EVAP 1 trips.

Monday, June 01, 2020, 09:37: Swap complete. 

 Replacement of electronic / controller head from INIFICON - BPG to Agilent - Model: FRG-730 due to EVAP 1 trips.

Wednesday, June 03, 2020, 08:11 

A loaded graphite cartridge was set in a tantalum boated and wrapped with 3 tantalum sheets (Friday May 29, 2020)

The set up was installed in the EVAP1 then IEVAP:IGP1 was replaced (elogs 260 and 261).  

Vacuum was turned on after Ion Gauge swap.

IGP1 = 3.6 e-5 Torr

Good vacuum = 5e-2 Torr

Bad vacuum = 5e-1 Torr

Current ramp is 1A per 10s from 0A to 120A

Wednesday, June 03, 2020, 09:59 

After about 20 minutes at 120 A, TGHT tripped again exactly as before.

Will restart ramp at 1A per 10s from 0A to 120A .  Will set good vacuum to 1e-2 Torr

IGP1= 4.3e-05 Torr

Wednesday, June 03, 2020, 10:57

IGP1 =  9e-4 Torr

Pressure peaked around 4e-3 Torr and now trending down

TGHT =120 A

Wednesday, June 03, 2020, 11:23

IGP1=9.5e-5 Torr

Good Vacuum 1e-02 Torr

Bad Vacuum 5e-1 Torr

Starting TGHT ramp to 550 A at 3A per 10s  

Wednesday, June 03, 2020, 14:41

ramp up was good.  TGHT at 550 A since 12:30 pm.  TGHT did not trip. *note adjusted good vacuum.  Ramping takes a little longer but doesn't trigger TGHT shutdown.

Wednesday, June 03, 2020, 22:55

IGP1 =  3.5e-5 Torr

TGHT = 249.4 A, 5.7 V

Start ramp down at -2A per minute to 0 A

 INIFICON -  BPG - SN: 232

PN: 353-573

Tuesday, August 18, 2020, 10:38: Control head for IGP1 swapped with bagged one.

Had been roughing.

Tuesday, August 18, 2020, 12:37: Turbo pump on. 

Tuesday, August 18, 2020, 12:54: Vacuum @ 1.28e-05T & dropping. 

Thursday, March 31, 2021, 14:42

EVAP1's TGHT has been tripping even when the pressure is below the tripping limits. The temperature of the turbo pump and the TGHT's power supply were monitored discarding the possibility of tripping due to the overheating of these pieces of equipment.

Gelo has been monitoring the IGP1 during carbothermal reductions to pinpoint the tripping issue, below is Gelo description to the issue and the patch he implemented to fix it.

"IGP loses its STATON (On status) if the value from the device is not within the valid voltage window (0.7 to 10 V). IEVAP:IGP1 for some reason goes to 0V for a few seconds then goes back up to where it left off.

Prior to the latest software updated, I added a 2 second delay in the code so that any invalid signal <=2s will be ignored.

Here is the data that you sent me specifically looking at when it tripped. I also attached the data that you sent me.  << File: 310321-P2N-3-CR (1).txt >>

TGHT Voltage and TGHT current are both read from the same PLC module, which tells me that the PLC module is not likely the issue since we were still reading other signals when IGP was reading 0.

For the new update, I adjusted the delay to 5 seconds since the signal drop seemed like it was about 2s and was enough to lose the IGP STATON bit which tripped TGHT.

The delay only applies for the STATON status which can also be described as reading OK status in this case. Any other trip will be instantaneous and work as normal. 

STATON is “ANDed” with other trips. i.e. IEVAPIGP_LESS10MTORR = IEVAPIGP1_RDVAC < 10mTorr AND IEVAPIGP1_STATON."

 Saturday, June 05, 2021, 08:57

Target #33 was installed in the EVAP1 and pumped down yesterday (Friday 4).

Target #33 is going to be conditioned on a Ta boat wrapped with 3 Ta foils.

IGP1 = 3.85e-6 Torr

Good vacuum = 1e-1 Torr

Bad vacuum = 5e-1 Torr

Power desired 1.6kW. This is the first target conditioned this way, 

Saturday, June 05, 2021, 09:13

Current ramp is 2A/30s to 400 A

Saturday, June 05, 2021, 10:59

TGHT = 3.5V, 399.7 A, 1.4 kW

IGP1 = 4.4e-5 Torr

Saturday, June 05, 2021, 11:00  

Current ramp is 2A/30s to 450 A

Saturday, June 05, 2021, 11:14

 TGHT = 4.06 V, 451.584 A, 1.4 kW

IGP1 = 4.86e-5 Torr

Saturday, June 05, 2021, 11:15 

Current ramp is 2A/30s to 500 A

Saturday, June 05, 2021, 11:23

TGHT = 4.23 V, 467.2 A, 1.97 kW pressure was still increasing a little at 1.6kW

IGP1 = 4.86e-5 Torr

Saturday, June 05, 2021, 19:10

 TGHT = 4.08 V, 459.52 A, 

IGP1 = 6.4e-6 Torr

Initiate ramp down  at 2 A/min to 0A

Target #34 was installed in the EVAP1 and pumped down (Tuesday June 29, 2021).

Target #34 is going to be conditioned on a Ta boat wrapped with 3 Ta foils.

IGP1 = 1.85e-6 Torr

Good vacuum = 1e-1 Torr

Bad vacuum = 5e-1 Torr

Power desired 1.6kW. This is the second target conditioned this way. 

Subsequent targets should be conditioned following thermal reduction.

 Thursday, July 01, 2021, 06:05

IGP1= 1.35e-06 Torr

Start autoramp @2A/30s to 400A

Thursday, July 01, 2021, 07:59

Pressure increase was observed near 400A 

will ramp to 450A and  keep for 8 hours

IGP1= 1.4 e-05 Torr

450A and 4.0V reached at 8:14 am on Thursday July 01, 2021

Rampdown @-2A/min was started at 4.14 pm on Thursday July 01, 2021 IGP1 stable at 2.7e-06Torr

Cannot transfer into glovebox yet because moisture is a bit high after regeneration.  Moisture is dropping. Will wait until moisture is sufficiently low.

Monday, July 05, 2021, 20:43

Cartridge was removed and placed in bag inside glovebox

Removed 10 discs for analysis but might place them back inside depending on final decision.  We had previously removed 10 discs after thermal reduction.

 Wednesday, July 07, 2021, 14:39

Target Provisional ID = 200929 was installed in the EVAP1 and pumped down (Tuesday July 7, 2021).

Target is going to be thermally reduced for 8 hours and then conditioned for an additional 8 hours

IGP1 = 2.0 e-6 Torr

Good vacuum = 1e-1 Torr

Bad vacuum = 5e-1 Torr

Power desired 1.6kW.

10 extra discs included for analysis

Wednesday, July 07, 2021, 14:49 

Ramping up TGHT at 6A/min [wait interval = 10 s at increments of 1A]

Wednesday, July 07, 2021, 15:58

IGP1= 5.7 e-5 Torr and trending down.  Will start ramp up to 450A at  18A/min [wait interval 10s at 3A increments]

Wednesday, July 07, 2021, 16:20 

IGP1= 2.2e-3 Torr

Will continue ramping TGHT to 500A and watch pressure

Wednesday, July 07, 2021, 16:26

Continue ramping to 550 at 3A/10s

 Wednesday, July 07, 2021, 16:29

holding at 550A, 5.1V for 8 hours 

Wednesday, July 07, 2021, 23:41 

TGHT = 550A, 5.7 V

begin ramp down at -2A/min to 450A and leave for 8 hours

Thursday, July 08, 2021, 08:20

 IGP1= 2.7 e-06 Torr

TGHT = 450A, 4.5V

Will start ramp down at -2A/min to 0A 

Wednesday, September 14, 2021, 21:14

Boat is wrapped with 2 layers of Ta-heat shield

The samples consists of 15 discs of UCx of 14mm diameter

The chamber is currently pumping down.

TGHT will be ramped up to 450 A

Wednesday, September 15, 2021, 07:17

IGP1 = 6.75e-6 Torr

Tapped up manually to 40A.

TGHT = 60 A, 2.39 V

Vacuum stable IG1 = 7.25e-6 Torr

Initiating auto-ramp for TGHT at a rate of 0.2A/min to 445 A

Parameter setup: 5.0e-5 good vac, 8.0e-5 bad vac.

 Wednesday, September 15, 2021, 11:57

IGP1=2.24e-5 Torr

TGHT= 102.016 A, 1.275 V

Autoramp changed to 1A/min to 450 A

Wednesday, September 15, 2021, 12:53

IGP1 = 3.3e-5 torr

TGHT= 150 A,  V

Autoramp changed to 2A/30s to 450 A

 1e-1 good vac, 5e-1 bad vac

Wednesday, September 15, 2021, 12:59

Friday, September 17, 2021, 07:54

IGP1 = 3.81e-6 Torr

TGHT = 449.6 A, 4.31 V

Autoramp set to -2A/min to 0 A 

 Thursday, September 23, 2021, 06:55

A loaded graphite cartridge was set in a tantalum boated and wrapped with 3 tantalum sheets (Wednesday September 22)

IGP1 = 3.6 e-5 Torr

Good vacuum = 5e-2 Torr

Bad vacuum = 5e-1 Torr

Current ramp is 2A per min from 0A to 120A and 1A/10s from 120A to (450-550A)

Thursday, September 23, 2021, 07:09 

IGP1 = 1.84 e-06 Torr

Start Autoramp to 120A @ 2A/min 

Thursday, September 23, 2021, 10:25

Start Autoramp to 550A @ 1A/10s

 IGP1= 1.05e-05 Torr

TGHT= 120 A, 1.06 V

Thursday, September 23, 2021, 11:57 

Pressure drop observed at 530A.  Start 4 hour count.  

Thursday, September 23, 2021, 15:57 

IGP1= 9.1e-06 Torr

After 4 hour reduction started rampdown to 400A at 2A/30s.

8 hour conditioning to start at 16:15 pm

Friday, September 24, 2021, 00:16

TGHT= 399.8 A, 3.5V

IGP1= 2.4 e-06 Torr 

Start ramp down at 2A/min