Strategies to reduce the environmental impact in the MRPC array of the EEE experiment

TL;DR

This paper discusses strategies implemented by the EEE experiment to reduce the environmental impact of MRPC detectors, including gas recirculation and searching for eco-friendly gas mixtures, to lower greenhouse emissions and costs.

Contribution

It introduces new methods for reducing greenhouse gases in MRPC detectors, including a prototype recirculation system and alternative gas mixtures, addressing environmental and economic concerns.

Findings

Successful development of a gas recirculation prototype at CERN.

Identification of potential eco-friendly gas mixtures compatible with MRPC performance.

Initial results show promising reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Abstract

The Extreme Energy Events (EEE) Project employs Multi-gap Resistive Plate Chamber (MRPC) for studying the secondary cosmic ray muons in Extensive Air Showers. The array consists of about 60 tracking detectors, sparse on Italian territory and at CERN. The MRPCs are flowed with a gas mixture based on $C_2H_2F_4$ and $SF_6$, both of which are fluorinated greenhouse gases with a high environmental impact on the atmosphere. Due to the restrictions imposed by the European Union, these gases are being phased out of production and their cost is largely increasing. The EEE Collaboration started a campaign to reduce the gas emission from its array with the aim of containing costs and decreasing the experiment global warming impact. One method is to reduce the gas rate in each EEE detector. Another is to develop a gas recirculation system, whose a first prototype has been installed at one of the EEE stations located at CERN. Jointly a parallel strategy is focused on searching for environmental friendly gas mixtures which are able to substitute the standard mixture without affecting the MRPC performance. An overview and first results are presented here.