Design and Development of Structures, Installation Tools, Installation Procedures, and Models for the Vertical Drift Detector of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment

Abstract

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment’s (DUNE) goal is to measure the oscillation of neutrinos between their three flavor states. The measurement is performed by generating, selecting, and measuring a known flavor of neutrinos using a particle accelerator and a near detector. The measurement is performed using electronic sensors submerged in liquid argon. The neutrinos will continue along their path until they enter the far detector, where they will be measured again. These measurements are conducted using devices known as Charge Readout Planes (CRP), which are housed within a cryostat measuring 16m x 15m x 66m, which is filled with liquid argon. These electronics will be installed within the cryostat once the construction of the cryostat is finished. 160 CRPs will comprise one of these detectors with 80 being suspended from the ceiling, and the remaining 80 will rest on the floor of the cryostat. This thesis focuses on these CRP on the floor. Installing and supporting these CRP is challenging due to the cryostat’s construction. This thesis presents two ways that these CRP can be installed. The first section focuses on installing entire CRPs in the cryostat by constructing a temporary, moveable raised support structure for technicians to work underneath without the risk of the CRP falling. The structure was designed to be assembled in situ by a team of two people and then retrieved remotely. This thesis documents the design and validation process of the structure and retrieval system, including any custom components. The DUNE Consortium was interested in the possibility of installing the bottom level of CRPs by breaking them into their two sub-assemblies called Charge Readout Units (CRU). As the structure for these devices was designed for the two to be joined, further design and analysis was required. This thesis shows the development and results of a Finite Element Model (FEM) which simulates the load cases that the CRU will experience when it is installed in the cryostat.