CARMENES (III): an innovative and challenging cooling system for an ultra-stable NIR spectrograph

S. Becerril; J. L. Lizon; Miguel Andrés Sánchez-Carrasco; E. Mirabet; P. Amado; W. Seifert; A. Quirrenbach; H. Mandel; J. A. Caballero; I. Ribas; A. Reiners; M. Abril; R. Antona; C. Cárdenas; R. Morales; D. Pérez; A. Rámon; E. Rodríguez; J. Herranz

doi:10.1117/12.928618

13 September 2012 CARMENES (III): an innovative and challenging cooling system for an ultra-stable NIR spectrograph

S. Becerril, J. L. Lizon, Miguel Andrés Sánchez-Carrasco, E. Mirabet, P. Amado, W. Seifert, A. Quirrenbach, H. Mandel, J. A. Caballero, I. Ribas, A. Reiners, M. Abril, R. Antona, C. Cárdenas, R. Morales, D. Pérez, A. Rámon, E. Rodríguez, J. Herranz

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8450, Modern Technologies in Space- and Ground-based Telescopes and Instrumentation II; 84504L (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.928618
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2012, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

The CARMENES project, which is currently at FDR stage, is a last-generation exoplanet hunter instrument to be installed in the Calar Alto Observatory by 2014. It is split into two different spectrographs: one works within the visual range while the other does it in the NIR range. Both channels need to be extremely stable in terms of mechanical and thermal behavior. Nevertheless, due to the operation temperature of the NIR spectrograph, the thermal stability requirement (±0.07 K in 24 hours; ±0.01 K (goal)) becomes actually a major challenge. The solution here proposed consists of a system that actively cools a shield enveloping the optical bench. Thus, the instability produced on the shield temperature is further damped on the optical bench due to the high mass of the latter, as well as the high thermal decoupling between both components, the main heat exchange being produced by radiation. This system -which is being developed with the active collaboration and advice of ESO (Jean-Louis Lizon)- is composed by a previous unit which produces a stable flow of nitrogen gas. The flow so produced goes into the in-vacuum circuitry of the NIR spectrograph and removes the radiative heat load incoming to the radiation shield by means of a group of properly dimensioned heat exchangers. The present paper describes and summarizes the cooling system designed for CARMENES NIR as well as the analyses implemented.

Citation Download Citation

S. Becerril, J. L. Lizon, Miguel Andrés Sánchez-Carrasco, E. Mirabet, P. Amado, W. Seifert, A. Quirrenbach, H. Mandel, J. A. Caballero, I. Ribas, A. Reiners, M. Abril, R. Antona, C. Cárdenas, R. Morales, D. Pérez, A. Rámon, E. Rodríguez, and J. Herranz "CARMENES (III): an innovative and challenging cooling system for an ultra-stable NIR spectrograph", Proc. SPIE 8450, Modern Technologies in Space- and Ground-based Telescopes and Instrumentation II, 84504L (13 September 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.928618

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available