| | Multi-cell niobium cavities often obtain the highest
performance levels after having been subjected to an
electropolishing (EP) process. The horizontal EP process
first developed at KEK/Nomura Plating for TRISTAN[1]
cavities is being applied to TESLA-style cavities and
other structures for the XFEL and ILC R&D. Jefferson
Lab is presently carrying this activity in the US. Because
the local electropolishing current density is highly
temperature dependent, we have created using
CFDesign?? a full-scale hydrodynamic model which
simulates the various thermal conditions present during
9-cell cavity electropolishing. The results of these
simulations are compared with exterior surface
temperature data gathered during ILC cavity EP at JLab.
Having benchmarked the simulation, we explore the
affect of altered boundary conditions in order to evaluate
potentially beneficial modifications to the current
standard process. | |