In December 2018, the FRIB cryogenic plant cooled fifteen cryomodules along its first linear accelerator (linac) segment to 2 kelvin (K) (-271 degrees Celsius). FRIB is the first superconducting heavy-ion linear accelerator to operate at 2 K.

FRIB has three linac segments. The first segment includes fifteen cryomodules that contain superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities. The FRIB cryogenic plant produces liquid helium to cool the SRF cavities. Operating the cryomodules at 2 K increases the energy efficiency of the accelerator. This allows cavities to accelerate beams up to half the speed of light.