Cryogenic Engineering & Neutron Moderator Development

The cryogenic engineering & neutron moderator group develops, among other things, cold, very cold and ultra-cold neutron moderators. This includes concept development, detail CAD design, fluid mechanics and structural mechanics simulations, prototype manufacturing and testing in ITE cryo-laboratory. The team is producing and certifying moderators used in neutron sources facilities worldwide. Examples of this are para-hydrogen moderators used at the ESS in Sweden and at SNS in the USA. In addition, in the group regularly doctoral theses are carried out addressing the issues related to moderator development. For this purpose, mobile cryostats are available with which moderators can be operated and measured at different neutron sources. Furthermore, particle image velocity measurements in cryogenic fluids and ortho-para hydrogen in-situ measurements in the liquid phase using Raman spectroscopy can be carried out in our own cryo-laboratory. In addition, superfluid helium can be investigated for the provision of ultra-cold neutrons.