Application of sub-cooled superfluid helium for cavity cooling at linac-based free electron lasers, energy recovery and proton linacs

In order to build a compact linear accelerator, high acceleration gradients of superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities have to be achieved. In many large accelerators, e.g. XFEL, CEBAF or SNS, operational limitations are caused either by a limit on available overall cooling power of refrigerators or on cooling capabilities of sc cavities. So, for the further improving of sc cavity cooling, it is possible to increase either a quality factor (Q 0) or to improve a heat transfer at the cavity surfaces. Application of a sub-cooled superfluid helium gives several advantages, e.g. higher heat flux densities, longer time for onset of a film boiling regime and shorter recovery time, reduced Kapitza resistances, etc. In the present paper, application of sub-cooled superfluid (sf) helium for linac-based Free Electron Lasers, Energy Recovery and Proton Linacs is considered. In order to limit the present discussion, its application to CEBAF/SNS-style cryomodules is discussed in detail. For operation at higher RF power levels, further cooling improvements of a fundamental power coupler are needed and design modifications also presented.