Search

To provide HL-LHC performance, the CERN LHC injector chain underwent a major upgrade during an almost 2-year-long shutdown. In the first half of 2021 the injectors were gradually re-started with the aim to reach at least pre-shutdown parameters for LHC as well as for fixed target beams. The strategy of the commissioning across the complex, a summary of the many challenges and finally the achievements will be presented. Several lessons were learned and have been integrated to define the strategy for the performance ramp-up over the coming years. Remaining limitations and prospects for LHC beam parameters at the exit of the LHC injector chain in the years to come will be discussed. Finally, the emerging need for improved operability of the CERN complex will be addressed, with a description of the first efforts to meet the availability and flexibility requirements of the HL-LHC era while at the same time maximizing fixed target physics output., Proceedings of the 13th International Particle Accelerator Conference, IPAC2022, Bangkok, Thailand

In the framework of accelerator consolidation, a feasibility study for a novel CERN PS extraction septum has been conducted. Functional requirements have been established and, accordingly, a system of two septa magnets and their associated pulse generator is proposed. The magnetic septum design is based on eddy current topology. Magnetic simulations in Flux 2D and Opera 3D of a conceptual design have been carried out. The short length and high amplitude of the current pulse required to drive the eddy current septa imply that none of the power converters currently used for septa magnets at CERN will be suitable. Pulse generator topologies derived from kicker generators have therefore been explored and simulated in Spice. The conceptual magnet and generator design along with simulation results are presented in this paper., Proceedings of the 12th International Particle Accelerator Conference, IPAC2021, Campinas, SP, Brazil

Challenging requirements are set for the FCC extraction septa magnets, notably for the magnetic field level, the septum thickness and the leak field. An alternative to the baseline FCC extraction layout with normal conducting Lambertson septa is proposed, consisting of a Superconducting Shield (SuShi) stage and a Truncated Cosine theta septa stage with the aim of reducing the necessary number of septa and installed length. The principal parameters of the septa are described and the feasibility discussed. Areas for study improvement are identified., Proceedings of the 10th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2019, Melbourne, Australia

Annual high intensity requests of over 10¹⁹ protons on target (POT) from the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) Fixed Target (FT) physics program continue, with the prospect of requests for even higher, unprecedented levels in the coming decade. A concerted and multifaceted R effort has been launched to understand and reduce the slow extraction induced radioactivation of the SPS and to anticipate future experimental proposals, such as SHiP* at the SPS Beam Dump Facility (BDF)**, which will request an additional 4·10¹⁹ POT per year. In this contribution, we report on operational improvements and recent advances that have been made to significantly reduce the slow extraction losses, by up to a factor of 3, with the deployment of new extraction concepts, including passive and active (thin, bent crystal) diffusers and extraction on the third-integer resonance with octupoles. In light of the successful tests of the prototype extraction loss reduction schemes, an outlook and implications for future SPS FT operation will be presented., Proceedings of the 10th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2019, Melbourne, Australia

At CERN, the SPS synchrotron is equipped with two fast extraction channels towards the LHC. As a part of the LHC injector upgrade project (LIU), the protection devices upstream of the septa in both extraction channels will be upgraded. Various failure scenarios have been studied and presented in the past, but the definitive approach for the equipment protection upgrade for each channel has now been determined. This paper describes the consequences of the most significant failure scenarios and the impact of the heat deposition in the diluter. The resulting material stresses are evaluated. The detailed layout for the extraction protection equipment for each extraction channel is outlined. The final layout consists of a extended diluter in Long Straight Section (LSS) 6 (TPSG6) and the installation of an additional movable absorber (TPSC4) upstream of the quadrupole in front of the existing protection equipment in LSS 4. The detailed mechanical design of the TPSC4 and the construction status of both TPSC4 and TPSG6 are discussed., Proceedings of the 10th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2019, Melbourne, Australia

At CERN, the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) is equipped with a resonant slow extraction system in Long Straight Section 2 (LSS2) towards the fixed target (FT) beam lines in the North Area. The extraction region provides the physics experiments with a quasi-DC flux of high-energy protons over a few seconds, which corresponds to tens of thousands of turns. The resonant slow extraction process provokes beam losses and is therefore the origin of radiation damage and the production of induced radioactivity in this region of the machine. This induced radioactivity imposed high constraints on the equipment design to be reliable to minimise the radiation exposure to personnel during machine maintenance. A detailed FLUKA model was developed in order to better understand the beam loss patterns, activation of the machine and to identify equipment components that could be optimised to reduce the residual dose related hazards. Simulations identified multiple alternative materials for extraction equipment components as well as shielding locations, which implementation could reduce residual activation hazards., Proceedings of the 10th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2019, Melbourne, Australia

Uncontrolled beam loss at the electrostatic septum is a performance limit for several existing or planned high power hadron accelerators delivering slow-extracted spills to fixed targets. A passive diffuser, or pre-scatterer, in a suitable configuration has been shown to reduce such beamloss significantly, with the actual gain factor depending on the parameters and details of the extraction process and hardware. In this paper, the optimization of diffuser configurations is investigated for a range of beam energies and extraction conditions, and the sensitivity to the available parameters explored via simulation results. The advantages and limitations of the diffuser are discussed and conclusions drawn concerning the specific case studies of the 8 GeV Fermilab debuncher ring and 400 GeV CERN SPS., Proceedings of the 9th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2018, Vancouver, BC, Canada

As part of the upgrade of the CERN PS accelerator from 1.4 GeV to 2 GeV, new injection septa have been developed. The system is comprised of a pulsed eddy current septum magnet and a pulsed eddy current bumper magnet. Both magnets will be housed in a common vacuum vessel and powered by independent power converters. In-depth studies and simulations have been performed to reduce as much as possible the leak field by designing specific magnetic shielding, combined with dual function beam impedance shielding. A prototype magnet was built and measured to validate the simulations. The final complete system will be bake-able at 200C and uses demineralised water for cooling. Closed circuit cooling systems have been integrated to reduce risks of vacuum leaks. This report describes the electromechanical design from the concept and simulation stages to the prototyping and final manufacturing. Results of the initial magnetic measurements, including field homogeneity and leak field mitigation methods are presented., Proceedings of the 9th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2018, Vancouver, BC, Canada

In the framework of the LIU project and the connection from LINAC4 to PS Booster, the 160 MeV H⁻ beam will be injected horizontally into the PSB by means of one charge-exchange injection system for each PSB ring. A set of four outside vacuum pulsed dipole magnets (BSW) creating the required injection bump has been designed and built. The dynamic requirements for the bump ramp down determine, to a large extent, the field homogeneity due to the eddy currents induced in the corrugated Inconel vacuum chamber. Magnetic simulations were performed to determine the field harmonics during bump ramp down, and the results subsequently used for the dynamic tracking of the beam during injection. The mechanical design and construction of the magnets will be briefly outlined, and the article will conclude with the magnetic measurements of the magnets. The magnetic performance of the as built magnets will be compared with the simulations and the influence of the vacuum chambers on the magnetic field will be quantified., Proceedings of the 9th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2018, Vancouver, BC, Canada

A significant reduction in the fraction of protons lost on the SPS electrostatic septum ES during resonant slow extraction is highly desirable for present Fixed-Target beam operation, and will become mandatory for the proposed SHiP experiment, which is now being studied in the framework of CERN's Physics Beyond Colliders program. In this paper the possible use of a passive scattering device (diffuser) is investigated. The physics processes underlying the use of a diffuser are described, and the dependence on the diffuser geometry, material and location of the potential loss reduction on the electrostatic septum (ES) wires is investigated with a semi-analytical approach. Numerical simulations to quantify the expected performance gain for the optimum configuration are presented, and the results discussed in view of the feasibility of a potential realisation in the SPS., Proceedings of the 8th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2017, Copenhagen, Denmark

In 2015 the highest integrated number of protons in the history of the North Area was slow extracted from the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) for the Fixed Target physics programme. At well over 1.10¹⁹ protons on target (POT), this represented the highest annual figure at SPS for almost two decades, since the West Area Neutrino Facility was operational some 20 years ago. The high intensity POT requests have continued into 2016-17 and look set to do so for the foreseeable future, especially in view of the proposed SPS Beam Dump Facility and experiments, e.g. SHiP*, which are requesting up to 4·10¹⁹ POT per year. Without significant improvements, the attainable annual POT will be limited to well below the total the SPS machine could deliver, due to activation of accelerator equipment and associated personnel dose limitations. In this contribution, the issues arising from the recent high activation levels are discussed along with the steps taken to understand, manage and mitigate these issues. The research avenues being actively pursued to improve the slow extraction related beam loss for present operation and future requests are outlined, and their relative merits discussed., Proceedings of the 8th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2017, Copenhagen, Denmark

In 2006 the protection devices upstream of the septa in both extraction channels of the CERN SPS to the LHC were installed. Since then, new beam parameters have been proposed for the SPS beam towards the LHC in the framework of the LIU project. The mechanical parameters and assumptions on which these protection devices presently have been based, need validation before the new upgraded versions can be designed and constructed. The paper describes the design assumptions for the present protection device and the testing program for the TPSG4 at HiRadMat to validate them. Finally the requirements and the options to upgrade both extraction protection elements in the SPS are described., Proceedings of the 6th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2015, Richmond, VA, USA

The CERN PS Booster will be upgraded with an H⁻ injection system. The chicane magnets for the injection bump ramp-down in 5 ms and generate eddy currents in the inconel vacuum chamber which perturb the homogeneity of the magnetic field. The multipolar field components are extracted from 3D OPERA simulations and are included in the lattice model. The beta-beating correction is computed all along the ramp and complete tracking simulations including space-charge are performed to evaluate the impact of these perturbations and their correction., Proceedings of the 5th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2014, Dresden, Germany

The MedAustron facility, to be built in Wiener Neustadt (Austria), will provide protons and different types of ions for cancer therapy and research. Ten different types of bumpers, septa and kickers will be used in the low energy beam transfer line, the synchrotron and the high energy extraction lines. They are presently being designed in collaboration with CERN. Both 2D and 3D finite element simulations have been carried out to verify and optimize the field strength and homogeneity for each type of magnet and, where applicable, the transient field response. The detailed designs for the injection and dump bumpers, the magnetic septa and the fast chopper dipoles are presented. A novel design for the electrostatic septa is outlined., Proceedings of the 1st International Particle Accelerator Conference, IPAC2010, Kyoto, Japan