Upgrade of the CERN Superconducting Magnet Test Facility

• Published in: IEEE transactions on applied superconductivity 2017-06, Vol.27 (4), p.1-7
• Main Authors: Bajko, Marta, Benda, Vladislav, Bottura, Luca, Broche, Alexandre Joel, Formenti, Fabio, Giannelli, Sebastiano, Giloux, Christian, Kosmicki, Antoine, Goncalves Perez, Consuelo, Perez-Duenas, E., Mertens, Volker, De Rijk, Gijs, Rossi, Lucio, Dos Santos, Nuno, Serio, Luigi, Strychalski, Michal, Thiesen, Hugues, Craen, Arnaud Vande
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: CERN; Cryogenic powering test; Cryogenics; Helium; Large Hadron Collider; Magnetic flux; Magnetic separation; SM18; Superconducting magnets
• ISSN: 1051-8223; 1558-2515
• DOI: 10.1109/TASC.2016.2635119

The superconducting magnet test facility at CERN has hosted the series test of the majority of the LHC magnets. The facility has evolved, and is presently divided in two main areas: a vertical test facility, equipped with three vertical cryostats, and a horizontal test facility, with ten feedboxes for test of cryostated magnets in horizontal position. The test demands from construction projects, such as the high-luminosity LHC, or design studies, such as the future circular collider, are calling for a further upgrade. The new accelerator magnet technology based on Nb 3 Sn and HTS superconductors, and the demand for higher bore field, result in high current (up to 30 kA), large cold mass dimensions (up to 1 m diameter), and increased stored energy (up to 1.5 MJ/m). To meet the new demands, two new vertical cryostats with their associated ancillary equipment are being built, and one horizontal test stand is being upgraded for operation at higher current. In addition, an upgrade of the cryogenic plant and services is planned to absorb the additional test needs. The paper gives the input parameters for the upgrade of the magnet test stations and the main characteristics of the new equipment.