Performance of a 1500 MHz niobium cavity with 2K-LHe channel cooling

/spl beta/=1 superconducting accelerator structures are traditionally operated immersed in a liquid helium bath. Nevertheless, several attempts have been made in the past to mate use of the numerous operational and cost advantages of a pipe-cooling configuration: reduction in liquid helium inventory, minimized cooldown/warmup times, and elimination of the LHe-vessel, which reduces the sensitivity to microphonics and provides easier access to all cavity components. This paper reports on tests performed with a 1500 MHz niobium cavity with 2K-LHe cooling channels covering only a fraction of the cavity surface. The cooling channels are made of niobium to preserve the capability for high temperature-treatments. In the initial test the cavity was immersed in a helium bath; subsequently the cooling was only provided by superfluid helium in the cooling channels. The experimental results are compared to thermal model calculations. In addition, the computer model is used to investigate the variations in cavity performance as a function of the cooling channel geometry and thermal conductivity properties of the niobium.<>