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LHC News From CERN: LHC collisions are pushed in spring 2009!
:: 24 September, 2008
As expected since the announcement of the helium leak in the LHC 3-4, the first collisions were to occur this year have been postponed to spring 2009. A blow to scientists involved for nearly twenty years in this wonderful adventure. But they saw other ...
Upon the announcement by CERN for the occurrence of a significant leak of helium in an area of the LHC, it was clear that the timing of first collisions of protons would have to be reviewed and that they could be conducted at the end of this month, even as researchers thought a week ago, or even a little before the official opening by Heads of State on October 21. It will be for spring 2009 ...
It is known that to work, the LHC superconducting magnets must be cooled by liquid helium at a temperature of 1.9 K, making it the coldest places in the Galaxy since even the diffuse background radiation has a temperature of 2.7 K. However, this cooling, which mobilizes the cryogenic system takes time, weeks even for a fraction of the LHC also important that the portion of Section 3-4 heated to tens of Kelvin.
In addition, the LHC is a huge consumer of electricity, swallowing up about 1 TWh. That is why Cern accelerator work only from spring to autumn, when public sector demand is low. The contract with EDF, in effect, provides for a more advantageous pricing during this period. But for the rest of the year, CERN must drastically reduce its consumption, failing to pay a very high markup.
When it became clear that the LHC would have to take a break of two months before seeing again beams move in its ultra-high vacuum tubes, it was implicit that no collision does occur before spring 2009.
What happened?
According to the Cern, the most likely cause resulting in the leak of helium is a defective electrical interconnection between two superconducting dipole magnet. Apparently, nearly one tone of helium, or 8,000 liters, was released in the tunnel and the vacuum was lost in parts of the LHC.
According to information provided by Lyn Evans, one of the main architects of the accelerator, some additional magnets might have to be changed. Fortunately, there are reservations. However, as he said himself: "The mood is not happy at Cern but we have already had to face problems in the past and we will continue to do so. Teams are being formed to carry out repairs as quickly as possible. "
Tags: LHC , LHC collisions , LHC News From CERN , Latest News from the LHC , LHC shut down until early spring ,
