SPECIAL NOTICE
99 -- NIST Industry Day for Helium Recovery, Compression and Liquefaction system
- Notice Date
- 12/20/2019 6:04:03 AM
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 334516
— Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- DEPT OF COMMERCE NIST GAITHERSBURG MD 20899 USA
- ZIP Code
- 20899
- Solicitation Number
- NIST-NCNR-ID01
- Response Due
- 1/17/2020 1:00:00 PM
- Archive Date
- 02/01/2020
- Point of Contact
- Donald Collie, Phone: 3019756485, Forest Crumpler, Phone: 3019756753
- E-Mail Address
-
donald.collie@nist.gov, forest.crumpler@nist.gov
(donald.collie@nist.gov, forest.crumpler@nist.gov)
- Description
- Proposal Development Industry Day Helium Recovery, Compression and Liquefaction System The NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) owns and operates a nuclear test reactor. The purpose of this reactor is to provide neutron radiation that is used to study the behavior of materials under a variety of thermodynamic and other mechanical conditions. The NCNR is seeking industry to evaluate the minimum performance specification, the feasibility of the below specifications within the existing NCNR infrastructure, and to incorporate industry comments and recent industry developments in the Request for Proposal development process.� To achieve this, the NCNR will host an �Industry Day� on Wednesday, January 22, 2020 starting at 10:00am EST, to occur at Building 235 of the Gaithersburg NIST campus.� The focus of this event will be based on the information provided below, which is based on the NCNR�s understanding of the general operation of Helium Recovery, Compression and Liquefaction (RCL) systems. Helium Recovery for the NCNR: During a certain class of experiments, liquid helium is used to cool experimental environments for the study of Condensed Matter Physics. The cooling process is based on liquid helium being consumed such that it undergoes a phase transition from liquid to gas, which in turn warms up while it cools down the surrounding equipment. Helium is a precious commodity, which is expected to suffer instabilities in both price and availability for the immediate and foreseeable future. The NCNR is looking to engage with industry to deliver a turnkey system based on forthcoming minimum performance specifications currently under development. The NCNR is developing a requirement for a system for the Recovery, Compression and Liquefaction (RCL) of Helium. The desired system is to have a net production capacity of 200 liters of liquid helium per day (24 hours) and be designed for future increased production with minimal impact to the new system. After liquefaction, the helium is distributed through the laboratories of the NCNR by transporting it in Dewars to the desired location of consumption. The principle of the Helium Recovery, Compression and Liquefaction system is as follows: Recover all helium that boils off from equipment that contain liquid helium at any given time (Cryostats, Fixed Dewars and Transport Dewars when stationary). Allow the helium boil-off to enter a geometrically complex manifold system through a user interface (which includes heating it to prevent sublimation of ice onto the manifold system). The mechanical complexity of this manifold system is a direct function of the layout and functionality of the NCNR laboratories. The manifold system is used to carry the boil-off to a central location under the (minimal) pressure that is developed by the boil-off. Note that the helium might pick up contaminants prior and/or during this step, notably air and water vapor. This ""central location"", houses all the equipment constituting the helium compression and liquefaction plant. A Google search with Search Items �NCNR Guide Hall� and selecting �Images� will provide several bird-eye views of the area in which this manifold is to be installed. After traveling through the manifold, the helium is gathered in a large hermetic gas holder, which maintains a minimal back pressure against the manifold system. When the gas holder is filled to bladder a certain volume, the helium is removed from it and presented to the input port of one or more compressors and stored in compressed gas containers. The compressed helium is presented to a cold-head driven helium purifier at an appropriate pressure. After purification, the helium is liquified and stored it a �Mother� Dewar that is part of the helium liquefaction plant. Once 500 liters of liquid helium has been produced, the liquid is transferred to two 250 Liter �Daughter� Dewars that are located at a convenient location specified by the NCNR. The Daughter Dewars are used to supply liquid helium to 100-liter Transport Dewars that are used to distribute the liquid helium to points of use around the facility. The distance between the Mother Dewar and the two Daughter Dewars will be about 120 feet. For the liquid transfer between Mother and Daughter Dewars, one of two evacuated and permanently installed, helium transfer lines (so called �Vacuum Jacketed� or �VJ� lines) are used. The process of consecutive filling shall be automated using a process computer and solenoid valves.
- Web Link
-
SAM.gov Permalink
(https://beta.sam.gov/opp/370867c2f02145908216abf057ef01ec/view)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
- Zip Code: 20899
- Country: USA
- Zip Code: 20899
- Record
- SN05522230-F 20191222/191220230149 (samdaily.us)
- Source
-
SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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