Hi Everyone,
We have a 9.4T Oxford family type III narrow bore magnet
that is still operating within installation specifications after being
continuously at field for 20 years. We have received funding to
replace the console on this magnet, and are considering having the
vacuum chamber O-rings on the magnet replaced prior to the console
installation. However, I’ve talked to several magnet service engineers
about the O-ring replacement, and they are unanimous in discouraging
us from replacing them. They are concerned with the possibility of the
magnet being damaged by a quench during rundown, and with the possible
failure of the switches that allows connection of the cryoshims and
the solenoid to the power supply. I would appreciate receiving your
opinions on how risky this procedure would be.
We have the money to do the O-ring replacement now, however it will
disappear from our budget if not spent. If we follow the advice of the
service engineers, and don’t touch the magnet, we would like to have
an estimate of how long we can expect the existing O-rings to last.
Does anyone know the estimated average lifetime of a set of installed
magnet O-rings?
Thanks in advance,
Larry
Larry A. Calhoun Ph.D.
Senior Research Associate, NMR Spectroscopy
Department of Chemistry
University of New Brunswick
PO Box 4400
Fredericton, N.B. Canada E3B 5A3
Phone: 506-453-4994
Fax: 506-453-4981
Received on Fri Jul 27 2012 - 08:50:04 MST