Abstract
The successful deployment of the Borexino solar neutrino detector required assorted physical and chemical operations to produce exceptional pure fluids and fill multiple detector zones. The composition and flow rates of high purity gases and liquids had to be precisely controlled to maintain liquid levels and pressures. The system was required to meet exceptional requirements for cleanliness and leak-tightness. A large scale modular system connecting fluid receiving, purification and fluid delivery processes was developed for Borexino. At the core is a flow control system that delivers scintillator components to plants for purification, and then fills the Borexino detector volumes with ultrahigh purity buffer or ultrahigh purity scintillator. The liquid handling system maintains precise control over the liquid levels and differential pressures between the different volumes of the detectors that are separated by flexible nylon vessels. The preparation, commissioning and operation of the system for filling the Borexino detector with scintillator is described.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 58-78 |
Number of pages | 21 |
Journal | Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment |
Volume | 609 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Oct 2009 |
Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:We sincerely thank the funding agencies: INFN (Italy), NSF (USA), BMBF, DFG and MPG (Germany), Rosnauka (Russia) and we acknowledge the generous support of the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso.
Funding
We sincerely thank the funding agencies: INFN (Italy), NSF (USA), BMBF, DFG and MPG (Germany), Rosnauka (Russia) and we acknowledge the generous support of the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso.
Funders | Funder number |
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Rosnauka | |
National Science Foundation | |
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft | |
Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung | |
Instituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare |
Keywords
- Liquid scintillator
- Low background detectors
- Radiopurity
- Solar neutrino