Towards Cost-To-Performance Optimisation of Large Superfluid Helium Refrigeration Systems

The field range of superconducting devices may be extended by lowering their operating temperature, using superfluid helium refrigeration systems which have to deliver working pressures down to 1.6 kPa. The corresponding pressure ratio can be produced by integral cold compression or using a combination of cold compressors in series together with "warm" compressors at room temperature. The optimisation of such a system depends on the number, arrangement and characteristics of cold and warm machines as well as on the operating scenario and turndown capability. The aim of this paper is to compare relative investment and operating costs of different superfluid helium cryogenic systems, with the aim of optimising their cost-to-performance ratio within the constraints of their operating scenario.