Time dependent simulation of the flow reduction of D$_2$ and T$_2$ in the KATRIN experiment

TL;DR

This paper presents simulation methods to predict the flow reduction of D$_2$ and T$_2$ gases in the KATRIN experiment's pumping sections, ensuring tritium containment for neutrino mass measurement.

Contribution

It compares molecular flow simulations and analytical models to accurately estimate gas flow reduction in KATRIN's complex vacuum system.

Findings

Simulations match the required flow reduction of 14 orders of magnitude.

Analytical and numerical models show good agreement.

Results inform the design and operation of the KATRIN vacuum system.

Abstract

The KArlsruhe TRItium Neutrino experiment (KATRIN) aims to measure the effective electron anti-neutrino mass with an unprecedented sensitivity of 0.2 eV/c$^2$, using beta-electrons from tritium decay. Super-conducting magnets will guide the electrons through a vacuum beam-line from the windowless gaseous tritium source through differential and cryogenic pumping sections to a high resolution spectrometer. At the same time tritium gas has to be prevented from entering the spectrometer. Therefore, the pumping sections have to reduce the tritium flow by at least 14 orders of magnitude. This paper describes various simulation methods in the molecular flow regime used to determine the expected gas flow reduction in the pumping sections for deuterium (commissioning runs) and for radioactive tritium. Simulations with MolFlow+ and with an analytical model are compared with each other, and with the stringent requirements of the KATRIN experiment.