Vacuum system design using symbolic numeric processors [particle accelerator]

The widespread availability of software for the personal computer (Maple, MathCAD, Mathematica, etc.) provides a convenient means of analyzing the design of vacuum systems for large and small facilities. The overall vacuum system is easily expressed as a matrix equation that includes surface outgassing and vacuum pumping rates and can include such effects as opening and closing of valves. Once the matrix equation has been defined, it is a simple matter to derive pressure solutions as a function of the different variables and to determine the effects of opening or closing valves. Thus one can derive the vacuum pressure in each section of the entire system as a function of these variables and quickly optimize the overall vacuum system design.