Operation Analysis of PandaX-4T Ultra-High Purity Xenon Cryogenic Distillation System for Removal of Krypton

doi:10.16183/j.cnki.jsjtu.2020.180

Abstract

Abstract:

Based on the McCabe-Thiele (M-T) method and the conservation of mass and energy, the PandaX-4T collaboration group designs an efficient cryogenic distillation system to reduce the mole fraction of krypton in commercial xenon from 5×10^-7 to 1×10^-14. Since the ultra-high purity xenon cryogenic distillation system has completed the offline purification operation, it is necessary to conduct the corresponding operation analysis. Therefore, the stability and purification performance of the ultra-high purity xenon cryogenic distillation system are studied by analyzing the parameters such as temperature, pressure, flowrate, and mole faction of the product xenon in each operating stage. The PandaX-4T cryogenic distillation system has been operating stably for 1.5 m at a collection efficiency of 99% and a purification rate of 10 kg/h, and has purified 5.75 t of xenon. The experimental data show that the system is stable, safe, and reliable in all stages of operation, and the krypton concentration in product xenon is less than 7.99×10^-12. The operation analysis of the PandaX-4T ultra-high purity xenon cryogenic distillation system has a theoretical research value and practical engineering significance, providing very important reference for optimization of distillation operation of the next stage.

Key words: cryogenic distillation, ultra-high purity xenon, krypton, dark matter detection

CLC Number:

TB657.6

YAN Rui, WANG Zhou, CUI Xiangyi, JU Yonglin, SHA Haidong, LI Shuaijie, HUANG Peiyao, WANG Xiuli. Operation Analysis of PandaX-4T Ultra-High Purity Xenon Cryogenic Distillation System for Removal of Krypton[J]. Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2021, 55(7): 834-841.

Figures/Tables 16

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T/K	p/kPa
177.0	191.5
177.5	196.4
178.0	201.2
178.5	206.2
179.0	211.2
179.5	216.4
180.0	221.6
180.5	226.9
181.0	232.4
181.5	237.9