Design of the automated CO2 optics cleaning system for the Thirty Meter Telescope

Tomas Chylek; Eric R. Hansen; Robert Sherman; Phil Matthews; Thurston Hyde

doi:10.1117/12.2560179

13 December 2020 Design of the automated CO₂ optics cleaning system for the Thirty Meter Telescope

Tomas Chylek, Eric R. Hansen, Robert Sherman, Phil Matthews, Thurston Hyde

Proceedings Volume 11451, Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation IV; 114514R (2020) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2560179
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2020, Online Only

Conference Poster

Abstract

Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) plans to incorporate fully automatic CO₂ snow cleaning in-situ process for its segmented primary mirror. Due to the size of the primary mirror, usual single hand-held narrow coverage CO₂ snow cleaning wands are no longer feasible option, though existing 2 and 4 inch wide models provided design insight. A new, extra-wide linear coverage CO₂ snow horn/nozzle arrangement has been successfully developed along with appropriate liquid CO₂ bulk delivery system. Challenges of such design include large CO₂ flow rates at pressures providing liquid state all the way to the spray nozzles, ensuring stable and uniform transition of liquid to solids, bulk CO₂ storage in the facility and coordination of the cleaning process with other telescope daytime activities. Additionally, automated rotating cleaning arms inspired by the Subaru telescope have been designed to expeditiously cover area of the TMT primary mirror at controlled speeds and reasonable time. Results of the study optimizing the cleaning parameters and test of various hardware options and combinations with respect to optics cleaning efficiency are also described.

Citation Download Citation

Tomas Chylek, Eric R. Hansen, Robert Sherman, Phil Matthews, and Thurston Hyde "Design of the automated CO₂ optics cleaning system for the Thirty Meter Telescope", Proc. SPIE 11451, Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation IV, 114514R (13 December 2020); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2560179

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