Author: Tock, J.Ph. G. L.
Paper Title Page
THPPD027 Consolidation of the 13 kA Splices in the Electrical Feedboxes of the LHC 3560
 
  • A. Perin, S. Atieh, O. Pirotte, R. Principe, D. Ramos, F. Savary, C.E. Scheuerlein, J.Ph. G. L. Tock, A.P. Verweij
    CERN, Geneva, Switzerland
 
  In 2008 a defective connection in one of the 13 kA dipole circuits of the LHC caused an electric breakdown that resulted in extensive damage in a sector of the accelerator. The investigation performed after the accident showed the necessity to consolidate the electrical splices of the 13 kA dipole and quadrupole circuits in order to operate the LHC at its nominal energy of 7 TeV. These circuits are powered through electrical feedboxes located at each end of the 8 sectors of LHC. In the feedboxes the current is routed from room temperature to the superconducting magnets along current leads and superconducting busbars and flows through at least two internal splices. These splices are based on the same technologies as the magnet to magnet ones but they are significantly different in terms of environment and configuration. As for the magnet to magnet splices, a consolidation will be necessary to operate them at nominal current. This paper presents an analysis of the properties of these splices and the technologies that will be used to consolidate them. The quality control provisions and the workflow to perform this operation during the first long shutdown of LHC are also presented.  
 
THPPD032 Consolidation of the LHC Superconducting Circuits: A Major Step towards 14 TeV Collisions 3575
 
  • J.Ph. G. L. Tock, F.F. Bertinelli, F. Bordry, P. Fessia, R. Ostojic, A. Perin, H. Prin, F. Savary, C.E. Scheuerlein, H.H.J. Ten Kate, A.P. Verweij, G.P. Willering
    CERN, Geneva, Switzerland
 
  Following the incident in one of the main dipole circuits of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in September 2008, a detailed analysis of all magnet circuits has been performed by a dedicated task force. This analysis has revealed several critical issues in the design of the 13 kA splices between the main LHC cryomagnets. These splices have to be consolidated before increasing the beam energy above 4 TeV and to operate the LHC close to 7 TeV per beam. The design for the consolidated 13 kA splices is now complete and has been reviewed by an international committee of experts. In the process, all types of superconducting circuits have been thoroughly screened and several important recommendations were established. They were critically assessed and the resulting actions are presented. In addition to the work on the 13 kA splices, other interventions will be performed during the first long shut-down of the LHC to consolidate globally all the superconducting circuits. The associated quality controls have been defined and are detailed in the operations workflow. The schedule constraints, repairs production rate, available space and resources are presented as well.