Development of a New Insulation Approach for the LHC Main 13 kA Interconnection Splices

• Published in: IEEE transactions on applied superconductivity Vol. 22; no. 3; p. 7700204
• Main Authors: Lackner, F., Bertinelli, F., Fessia, P., Lopez, R., Prin, H., Tock, J. P.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-06-2012; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Assembly; Cyclic accelerators and storage rings; Design. Technologies. Operation analysis. Testing; Dielectric breakdown; Dielectrics; dielectrics insulation; electromagnetic forces; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Experimental methods and instrumentation for elementary-particle and nuclear physics; Force; Hadrons; Insulation; Integrated circuit interconnections; Integrated circuits; Interconnection; Joints; Large Hadron Collider; LHC interconnection; Nuclear physics; Physics; Polyimides; Reinforcement; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Shutdowns; Stress; Superconductivity; Performance evaluation; CERN LHC; State of the art; Electric breakdown; Splice; Busbars; Electromagnetic forces; LHC interconnection; Conceptual analysis; Interconnections; Integrated circuits; Analytical method; dielectrics insulation; Lorentz force; Dielectric breakdown; Joints
• ISSN: 1051-8223; 1558-2515
• DOI: 10.1109/TASC.2011.2178978

In the long LHC (Large Hadron Collider) shutdown in 2013 it is foreseen to intervene on all the 13 kA interconnections in order to guarantee the necessary margin and redundancy to provide safe LHC operation at 7 TeV per beam. This implies reinforcement of the present interconnection configuration including a new insulation scheme of the busbars. The purpose of the new insulation model is to provide dielectric insulation with at least the same performance as its predecessor currently installed in the LHC machine, but in addition to contain the Lorentz forces. This paper describes the analytic and empirical approach of development to reach a new insulation concept based on state of the art materials and manufacturing techniques.