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As expected at the end of the previous entry, yesterday and Saturday were good fun. This past weekend was, in the vernacular, kickass and it definitely deserves a journal entry. This is not that entry.
I am writing this entry from the lab, as I fill the K-400 cryostat with liquid helium to start this week's cooldown and experiment. It promises to be a long night. As I begin this entry, at nearly 10:30pm, the temperature of the cryostat insert is approximately 67K. It needs to cool down to 4.2K before it can hold liquid helium. Then it needs to be filled with said liquid. I expect this to be completed around midnight... and if that were all the evening held, then I would sleep well. However, once the cryostat is full of liquid helium, it needs to sit for at least two and a half hours before the exchange gas can be pumped out[*]. So according to the current plan, I will go home around midnight, eat dinner, and do assorted other activities until about 2:30am. Then I will come back to the lab and start the pumps to remove the exchange gas overnight. This is a quick process, taking half an hour at most. So I should be able to cycle home again shortly after 3am and hopefully be asleep before four.
I am arriving at the lab now, after having spent an enjoyable evening at the Oxford Playhouse with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
cheshcat[**]. We saw a production of By Jeeves, which is based on the "Jeeves" stories by P.G. Wodehouse. Do you remember, last month, when we went to see Herge's Adventures of Tintin at the Playhouse? Do you remember how I mentioned being totally unfamiliar with the Tintin stories? Well at least I had known of Tintin's existence before seeing that show. I must confess that, before tonight, I had never even heard of these "Jeeves" stories. I now publicly face shame and humiliations from all my friends who are P.G. Wodehouse fans... just like when xirpha and sciffy_circo pointed out their extensive knowledge about Tintin. And I am certain that the Great Squeektoy42 is familiar with this particular show. Being an expert in all things related to musical theatre, I would be shocked if she did not know of By Jeeves... as the music was written by Andrew Lloyd Weber with the book being done by Alan Ayckbourn.
In any case, the public shame and humiliation is well worth it, as the show was lots of fun! As I have come to expect from the Oxford Playhouse[***], the quality of the performance was superb. The music was light but entertaining and the actors all did a great job. Andcheshcat is always amused by the portrayal of US-ian characters on the English stage. After tonight, I fear that I may have to learn more about the various adventures of Bertie and Jeeves.
[*] Exchange gas sits in the inner vacuum chamber during filling and is used to transfer the cold from the liquid helium to the equipment inside of the cryostat. Once said equipment has cooled down to 4.2K -- the temperature of liquid helium -- it must then be evacuated, lest it continue to link the IVC equipment to 4.2K and prevent said equipment from being cooled to 0.005K.
[**] No, my evening out is not the cause of my late night at the lab. While I was out at the Playhouse, our membrane pump was sucking cold helium gas into the vicinity of the cryostat, cooling it from near to room temperature (~300K) to the point where I could take over the process.
[***] Recall, for instance, that Tintin was there on a run just prior to opening onBroadway the West End.
I am writing this entry from the lab, as I fill the K-400 cryostat with liquid helium to start this week's cooldown and experiment. It promises to be a long night. As I begin this entry, at nearly 10:30pm, the temperature of the cryostat insert is approximately 67K. It needs to cool down to 4.2K before it can hold liquid helium. Then it needs to be filled with said liquid. I expect this to be completed around midnight... and if that were all the evening held, then I would sleep well. However, once the cryostat is full of liquid helium, it needs to sit for at least two and a half hours before the exchange gas can be pumped out[*]. So according to the current plan, I will go home around midnight, eat dinner, and do assorted other activities until about 2:30am. Then I will come back to the lab and start the pumps to remove the exchange gas overnight. This is a quick process, taking half an hour at most. So I should be able to cycle home again shortly after 3am and hopefully be asleep before four.
I am arriving at the lab now, after having spent an enjoyable evening at the Oxford Playhouse with
cheshcat[**]. We saw a production of By Jeeves, which is based on the "Jeeves" stories by P.G. Wodehouse. Do you remember, last month, when we went to see Herge's Adventures of Tintin at the Playhouse? Do you remember how I mentioned being totally unfamiliar with the Tintin stories? Well at least I had known of Tintin's existence before seeing that show. I must confess that, before tonight, I had never even heard of these "Jeeves" stories. I now publicly face shame and humiliations from all my friends who are P.G. Wodehouse fans... just like when xirpha and sciffy_circo pointed out their extensive knowledge about Tintin. And I am certain that the Great Squeektoy42 is familiar with this particular show. Being an expert in all things related to musical theatre, I would be shocked if she did not know of By Jeeves... as the music was written by Andrew Lloyd Weber with the book being done by Alan Ayckbourn.In any case, the public shame and humiliation is well worth it, as the show was lots of fun! As I have come to expect from the Oxford Playhouse[***], the quality of the performance was superb. The music was light but entertaining and the actors all did a great job. And
cheshcat is always amused by the portrayal of US-ian characters on the English stage. After tonight, I fear that I may have to learn more about the various adventures of Bertie and Jeeves. [*] Exchange gas sits in the inner vacuum chamber during filling and is used to transfer the cold from the liquid helium to the equipment inside of the cryostat. Once said equipment has cooled down to 4.2K -- the temperature of liquid helium -- it must then be evacuated, lest it continue to link the IVC equipment to 4.2K and prevent said equipment from being cooled to 0.005K.
[**] No, my evening out is not the cause of my late night at the lab. While I was out at the Playhouse, our membrane pump was sucking cold helium gas into the vicinity of the cryostat, cooling it from near to room temperature (~300K) to the point where I could take over the process.
[***] Recall, for instance, that Tintin was there on a run just prior to opening on
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