Researchers from the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) were awarded the best technical paper at the 9th edition of the International Brazing and Soldering Conference (IBSC), an event held in the United States from April 14 to 17 that gathers professionals from different countries to discuss advances and new technologies in the fields of brazing and soldering.
The award-winning work, entitled “Development and Characterization of Vacuum Soldering Process for the Storage Ring Vacuum Chamber Cooling System of Sirius”, was presented at the conference by Rafael Defavari, manager of the Materials Integration group at CNPEM’s Deputy Technology Directorate. The research focused on developing a new welding process for the ring vacuum chamber cooling system of Sirius.
“In the paper, we sought to study the effects of lead-free solder alloys on the cooling system of the vacuum chambers, validating the process developed at CNPEM for the construction of the Sirius storage ring. The technique presented in the article guarantees the characterization of this process, allowing us to predict, validate, and measure the expected service life of these components,” says Rafael Defavari.
Manager of the Materials Integration group at CNPEM, Rafael Defavari, during the event
This new welding process developed by the engineering team could significantly improve the efficiency and reliability of the Brazilian electron accelerator’s cooling system, contributing to the success of the synchrotron’s operations. The award is also an important recognition from the American Welding Society (AWS), an association responsible for defining and standardizing the rules for various types of welding around the world.
About the conference
The International Brazing and Soldering Conference 2024, organized by AWS, gathers the world’s leading brazing and soldering experts from universities and companies in various countries, including Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan, and the United States. This year’s conference was held in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. During the three-day event, participants had access to parallel sessions with presentations on the latest advances and technologies in brazing and soldering, organized in such a way as to maximize interactions between the two techniques.
About CNPEM
A sophisticated and vibrant environment for research and development, unique in Brazil compared to few other scientific centers in the world, the Brazilian National Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is a private non-profit organization under the supervision of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MCTI). The Center operates four National Laboratories and is home to the most complex project in Brazilian science – Sirius – one of the most advanced synchrotron light sources in the world. CNPEM gathers highly specialized multi-thematic teams, globally competitive laboratory infrastructures open to the scientific community, strategic research lines, innovative projects in partnership with the productive sector, and the training of researchers and students. The Center is an environment driven by research into solutions impacting the fields of Health, Energy, as well as Renewable Materials, Agri-environment, and Quantum Technologies. The CNPEM 360 platform allows visitors to explore, in a virtual and immersive way, the environments of all the laboratories installed in Campinas (SP) and access information on the work carried out and the resources offered to the scientific community and companies. From 2022, supported by the Ministry of Education (MEC), CNPEM has expanded its activities by opening the Ilum School of Science. The interdisciplinary degree course in Science, Technology, and Innovation embraces innovative proposals aimed at offering free, full-time training of excellence and immersion in CNPEM’s research environment.
