Refrigerant cooling services for the Thirty Meter Telescope

John W. Miles; Brent Ellerbroek; Jamie Dodge; Hugh Thompson; Adam Densmore; Calvin Winter; Ian Welle

doi:10.1117/12.3016313

11 September 2024 Refrigerant cooling services for the Thirty Meter Telescope

John W. Miles, Brent Ellerbroek, Jamie Dodge, Hugh Thompson, Adam Densmore, Calvin Winter, Ian Welle

Proceedings Volume 13094, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes X; 130945O (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3016313
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2024, Yokohama, Japan

Conference Poster

Abstract

The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) must remove waste heat generated by electronics on the telescope to prevent overheating and reduce their impact on dome seeing. Traditionally, chilled water-glycol cooling loops have been used for this purpose. However, the potential (and realization on existing telescopes) for damage and disruption due to glycol leaks at the telescope top end has prompted a shift to a refrigerant system, where any leaking refrigerant vaporizes immediately. Additionally, a refrigerant system is needed to cool adaptive optics enclosures to -30°C and cool the telescope hydrostatic bearing oil to -21°C, below the operating range of a chilled water system. This paper discusses the refrigerant services infrastructure in development for the observatory, including the cooling requirements, the trade study that led to the choice of carbon dioxide as the refrigerant, the conceptual design, and the concept of operations.

(2024) Published by SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Citation Download Citation

John W. Miles, Brent Ellerbroek, Jamie Dodge, Hugh Thompson, Adam Densmore, Calvin Winter, and Ian Welle "Refrigerant cooling services for the Thirty Meter Telescope", Proc. SPIE 13094, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes X, 130945O (11 September 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3016313

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available