Camera Cooling

The RCT CCD camera is cooled by a closed-cycle Cryotiger system. The system consists of the compressor, a white box unit that sits on the floor in the control room, the "cool tip", which is a system of coiled pipe in thermal contact with the CCD where the system gas is condensed, and the flexible hoses which cycle gas between the compressor and cool tip. When connected and powered on, the Cryotiger cools the CCD to its maximum extent, which depends on the heat load and the counteracting effect of the CCD heater, which is controlled by the observatory software. Control of the Cryotiger is independent from the rest of the observatory.

Figure 3.8: The CCD Cooling System